novelraw Chapter 131 : Chapter 131
Chapter 131 : Chapter 131
Chapter 131. Aman (6)
In the splendid yet somehow suffocating room provided by the Emperor.
I sat across from Noemi, Rude, and Number 1, sharing the results of the recent audience with the Emperor, and began discussing our future course of action.
The situation was not good.
The Emperor was stubborn, and his demands were absurd.
As expected, it was Number 1 who raised his voice first.
He spoke firmly in his characteristic emotionless voice.
“We don't have time for this right now. We should use force if necessary to retrieve that magic device from the secret vault.”
At those words, Rude was aghast and retorted.
“H-hold on! Sir Number 1! What are you talking about! Are you suggesting we make an enemy of the entire empire?”
Noemi, standing next to him, agreed with Rude's words and looked at me.
Her gaze was cautious.
“Master Rude is right. Right now, Daddy, you're not here as Frank Pendragon the individual, but as a representative of the Continental Alliance. If we use force here, it won't just be a problem between us and the Durani Empire, it could escalate into a war between the Alliance and the entire empire.”
Their words made sense.
I closed my eyes for a moment and sank into thought.
To be honest, Number 1's proposal wasn't entirely impossible.
‘My power will return when night falls.’
As I was now.
If I regained my Hero's power, it might not be that difficult to infiltrate the imperial palace, no matter how tight the security, and steal the magic device from the secret vault.
Besides, I had powerful companions like Number 1, Rude, and Noemi by my side.
No matter how numerous the empire's soldiers were, it would be difficult for them to inflict a single serious wound on the four of us.
‘But…….’
The problem was what came after.
The representative of the Continental Alliance who stole the empire's treasure and backstabbed the Emperor.
If I were to be branded with such a stigma, the prestige of the Alliance would plummet overnight, and the alliance might even dissolve.
Internal division in the face of the great threat of Primus, that was the worst-case scenario.
‘Considering the diplomatic issues, the use of force must be a last resort.’
After long and complicated deliberation, I reached a conclusion.
In the end, I had no choice but to accept the Emperor's proposal.
Although I was even skeptical about the existence of the 'potion of eternal life' he demanded, and I had no idea how much time it would take to find it, there was no other option right now.
“I will accept the Emperor's proposal.”
At my decision, Number 1 frowned for a moment, but then nodded slightly as if there was no other choice.
“It seems that's the best option for now.”
Rude and Noemi let out sighs of relief.
“Let's rest here for today, and meet the Emperor again tomorrow to convey our decision.”
I stood up from my seat and looked out the window.
The scenery of the imperial capital, splendid yet somehow lifeless, came into view at a glance.
‘Nothing is ever easy.’
My heart was heavy.
While we were delaying like this, Primus and Nox would be destroying the ancient towers in the eastern land of Reubungwo.
I had to cross over there as soon as possible and stop them.
I was impatient, but I had to endure it for now.
I looked at the sky of the capital, where darkness was beginning to fall, and foresaw another trial that was to come.
***
More than a month had already passed since Frank's party left for the Durani Empire.
In the meantime, the training of Lumen Fortis' regular army had become systematic, and the dungeon was still bustling with numerous adventurers.
And at the center of it all, Iris could finally smile.
‘72nd floor! I've finally overtaken my sister!’
She had just managed to defeat the powerful monster of the 71st floor, a Chimera, and had arrived at the shelter to catch her breath.
On the records board, her name was engraved at the very top.
Adel, seemingly not getting along with her new guide, had been wandering around the 69th floor for several days.
The void left by Number 1's absence was apparently larger than expected.
“I won! I beat Adel!”
Iris cheered at the pure sense of accomplishment and victory she hadn't felt in a long time.
As expected, she was the type who shone brighter in competition.
Activating the transition magic circle that led outside the dungeon with a cheerful heart, she even hummed a tune as she came out to the surface.
But the noisy atmosphere of the plaza made her frown.
“What's going on?”
Far more people than usual were gathered and murmuring, and at the center was a strangely composed group that she had never seen before.
Beautiful beings with pointed ears and slender bodies, elves.
And standing among them, a strange Eastern young man with black eyes and black hair.
The elf race was a being that only appeared in ancient records, and humans with such an appearance were extremely rare on the Continent of Ista.
‘What in the world is this?’
The moment Iris approached with a puzzled expression.
The Eastern young man began to shout something at the people.
It was an incomprehensible language.
“What on earth is he saying?”
Iris frowned.
The young man, realizing that they couldn't understand him, made a briefly flustered expression, then, as if he had thought of something, looked around.
He picked up a fallen twig from the ground and quickly began to draw something on the ground.
At first, they were strange figures of unknown identity.
But as the drawing became more and more concrete, Iris held her breath.
A body with only gaunt bones left.
A robe that exuded an ominous aura.
This was definitely…….
“Lich King Nox?”
As Iris cautiously muttered the name, the young man's face lit up brightly, and he nodded his head vigorously.
‘I'm sure of it. That drawing means Nox. But who is that young man, and what's with the elves?
And what is he trying to say about Nox?’
Iris instinctively felt that this was no ordinary matter.
She immediately instructed the nearby guards to politely guide the elf and the young man to the Lumen Fortis command building, and she herself quickly headed there.
At the same time, she issued an emergency summons to the key executives through the crystal ball.
When she arrived at the command conference room, Adel and the key figures of Lumen Fortis, who had rushed over after hearing the news, were gathered.
Adel showed a greatly surprised expression, just like herself, at the sight of the elves and the Eastern young man.
“E-elves? And who is that young man?”
“I just met them too.”
Iris quickly explained the situation.
“That person can't understand our language, but it seemed like he was trying to tell us about Nox. And I think he might have come from across the sea, from Reubungwo.”
“What? Reubungwo?”
Adel asked back as if she couldn't believe it.
“How did he cross that? I thought no one could cross between the continent and that island because of the fearsome marine demonic beasts? That's why Father went to the Durani Empire to find the magic device to cross that strait.”
“I don't know either. That young man, he can't speak our language at all. It'll take time to find out how he crossed over and what his purpose is.”
Adel thought for a moment and then said urgently.
“This is a serious matter. We have to inform Father of this immediately!”
“I was thinking the same thing. Hold on.”
Iris began to infuse magical power into the communication crystal ball in front of her.
Praying that her father was safe, and in a place where communication was possible.
A moment later, her father's figure began to faintly appear on the surface of the crystal ball.
Her mouth quivered as she spoke quickly.
“Father! There's something I need to tell you urgently!”
***
In the reception room where Frank's party had retreated, only the Emperor of the Durani Empire remained alone.
A satisfied smile, rarely seen, bloomed on his old face.
He let out a low, pleasant laugh.
“The time has finally come for my long-held wish to be fulfilled!”
For over three hundred years.
The only thing he had yearned for while sitting on the throne was one thing, eternal life.
To escape the fear of death and reign over this empire forever.
He would not shy away from any means or methods for that purpose.
The young wench who was the leader of the Unseen Ones and her escort who had come before seemed quite useful, but they were somehow untrustworthy.
Hadn't they thrown away their promise with him like a worn-out shoe and fled to the north?
But this time was different.
The opponent was the former Hero and the current leader of the entire Continental Alliance, Frank Pendragon.
A big shot of that caliber would not even dream of breaking a promise with him or betraying him.
His honor and status would hold him back.
‘The probability of success has increased dramatically. He will surely find the secret of eternal life and offer it to me.’
The Emperor, with a satisfied heart, commanded his attendant.
“Go to the underground secret vault immediately and bring 'Neptune's Tear'.”
Neptune's Tear.
A treasured heirloom passed down through the imperial family since ancient times, and the only magic device that could pacify the marine demonic beasts of the cursed strait.
An item that would no longer be needed once he obtained eternal life anyway.
It was much more profitable to lend it to the Hero for a while and earn his loyalty.
‘Hehe. A man of the former Hero's stature wouldn't run away with just one magic device.’
The Emperor, thinking that everything was proceeding perfectly according to his plan, leaned back comfortably on his throne.
But then.
“Y-Your Majesty! Th-there's a huge problem!”
An attendant rushed into the reception room, panting, and shouted urgently.
The Emperor frowned at the disrespect of having his rest disturbed.
“What is the meaning of this commotion!”
The attendant, panting for breath, reported in a trembling voice.
“The Margrave Frank and his party who had an audience with Your Majesty just a moment ago… h-have all vanished without a trace!”
“What did you say?”
The smile disappeared from the Emperor's face.
“No, where could those who just accepted my proposal and said they would prepare have gone?”
“I-I don't know, Your Majesty! They are nowhere to be seen in the palace! It's as if they were never here, they've vanished without a trace!”
“Impossible!”
The Emperor shot up from his seat.
“In this heavily guarded imperial palace, how could they do such a thing without my permission!”
The Emperor was flustered.
He hadn't even handed over Neptune's Tear yet, so why had they suddenly disappeared?
Could it be that they had intended to deceive him from the very beginning?
He asked another attendant, just in case.
“Neptune's Tear! Is it safe in the secret vault!”
“Yes, Your Majesty! After checking just now, it is safely stored in the underground vault.”
The Emperor was even more bewildered.
They hadn't stolen the magic device and run away either.
Then, why on earth?
He clutched his confused head.
But suddenly, he felt a sense of déjà vu.
An unpleasant memory of having experienced something similar before.
‘That's right. The Unseen Ones. That wench and her escort did the same thing!’
They had promised to find him the potion of eternal life, but had backstabbed him and disappeared at the crucial moment.
And now.
A Hero named Frank had done the exact same thing.
The Emperor's face slowly began to contort with anger.
“You dare to mock this body twice?”
Killing intent flickered in his eyes.
It was unforgivable.
It didn't matter if he was a former Hero or the leader of the Continental Alliance.
He would make them pay the price for daring to deceive him.
The Emperor's fists trembled.
The anger that had built up for over three hundred years began to consume his reason.