A full day had passed since Damon opened his eyes. His body had improved considerably. He still could not walk or stand, but he had recovered enough to raise his upper body from the bed and speak.
Even so, Damon had not uttered a single word until now. He feared that, should he make some slip of the tongue, it would give them something to seize upon.
He was eating with the help of a maidservant. In consideration of his condition, the palace chef had specially prepared a highly nutritious soup, but the sight of Damon wearing a bib while receiving spoonfuls of soup from the maid was nothing if not ridiculous.
‘Damn it all… I’m not a child.’
Anger welled up inside him, but this was no time to act rashly, so Damon resolved to quietly accept it. When he had emptied the bowl of soup, the maidservant lifted a napkin and wiped his chin.
“Would you like any more, Your Highness?”
When Damon shook his head, the maidservant nodded as if she understood, gathered up the tableware, and quietly withdrew backward. After finishing his meal, Damon looked around the room again.
The sight of some thirty knights, their helmet visors pressed down without a gap, lining the walls was the same as yesterday. The magic circle clearly installed on the floor was also in effect.
Damon gave a bitter smile.
‘Even without that, I can’t use magic at all. Verkis’s mental magic… truly terrifying.’
Because of Verkis’s mental magic, Damon’s inner world had already suffered a tremendous blow. Even he had no idea how much time would have to pass before he recovered.
Moreover, the power of the magic circle installed on the floor was astonishing. It had been designed to impose considerable restrictions even if the target were a 9th Circle Master. It seemed all too obvious that it had been set up with him in mind. As Damon studied the degree of overlap in the magic circle, he let out a long sigh.
‘In any case, this is worrying. What could have happened to them…?’
While he was lost in thought, the door suddenly opened.
Clack.
Two unfamiliar men entered the room. One was a young man who looked to have just passed thirty, and the other was a hard-faced man in his late forties. Though his temples did not protrude at all, judging by the aura emanating from his body, he was likely a Sword Master, and from his attitude he seemed to be in a position of assisting the younger man. The men approached carefully and bowed respectfully before Damon.
“At last, I have the honor of meeting Your Highness. Regent Theodore greets His Highness Crown Prince Alcaris.”
Damon took in the man’s introduction and returned the greeting with a nod.
‘So this is the young regent said to be Duke Pershtein’s sworn enemy?’
Damon was well versed in Arcadia’s political situation. It was all thanks to the information he had received from Zengart. Thinking that the man seemed too young to entrust with a nation, Damon silently nodded.
Regent Theodore, now finally face-to-face with him, looked straight at Damon and continued. A deep smile hung on his face.
“Do you remember me?”
“……”
“When you were young, I often let Your Highness ride on my shoulders. Back then, Your Highness said I was the best in the world…”
It was an extremely awkward moment for Damon. Still, it seemed he had to answer somehow, so he silently nodded.
“I-It was so. I-I remember.”
Taking into account that he was supposed to be simple-minded, Damon even showed the quick wit of deliberately stammering. At that moment, Theodore’s eyes flashed sharply. He seemed to think about something for a moment, then whispered in a low voice.
“There is something I must say to Your Highness in private. It is an important matter, so may I have the escort knights withdraw for a while?”
His voice was low enough that only Damon could hear. At the regent’s words, Damon tensed.
“A-An important matter…?”
“It is nothing much. It concerns the handling of the mercenaries imprisoned in the underground dungeon.”
Damon kept silent. He had never dreamed that the other man would come out so directly. Theodore looked at Damon with eyes curved in a smile.
‘What on earth is this man plotting?’
Damon quickly made his decision. It stemmed from his characteristic reckless nature of charging head-on through hardship.
“Very well. Have the escort knights withdraw.”
A smile of satisfaction appeared on Theodore’s face. He immediately gave the order to the escort knights.
“Would you leave us for a moment? I intend to have an important discussion with His Highness, and it is not something any of you may hear.”
Embarrassment appeared on the faces of the escort knights. They had received a strict order from Marquis Williams not to leave their posts under any circumstances.
One knight who appeared to be their leader stepped forward and expressed his difficulty. He was Kasimov, one of the vice commanders of the Krosen Knights.
“B-But we have a duty to guard this place. We cannot carelessly leave our posts.”
Theodore answered in a gentle tone.
“You all know very well who I am, do you not? And you know how loyal I am to the Krosen Imperial Family as well. Moreover, His Highness the Crown Prince has already given his permission.”
Kasimov’s gaze briefly turned to Damon. Damon immediately nodded.
“G-Go out for a while. I wish to speak with the r-regent about old times.”
Hearing Damon’s words, Kasimov lowered his head as if he had no choice. He, too, knew well that Regent Theodore was of the same mind as Marquis Williams. Moreover, the regent’s fervent loyalty to the Krosen Imperial Family was widely spoken of among the knights, so before long, he set aside his hesitation.
“Then we understand. We will return as soon as your business is finished.”
The escort knights filed out in a rush. Just as Kasimov was about to leave the room, he looked at Theodore’s adjutant, who was standing still, with a suspicious expression.
“Are you not leaving?”
Theodore cut in without missing the timing.
“My adjutant is extremely tight-lipped. Considering any unforeseen circumstances, I think it would be better for him to remain with me. As you know, he is a Sword Master of outstanding skill.”
At Theodore’s words, Kasimov looked as if his pride had been deeply wounded. Among the knights present, who exactly was not a Sword Master? And were they not all knights who prided themselves on being tight-lipped?
‘Damn it! So some may stay and some may not?’
Hurriedly erasing the look from his face, Kasimov turned away as if he had no choice. They must have undergone countless body searches and magical inspections on their way here, so there was no need for further questioning. If the other party had not truly been Regent Theodore and his adjutant, they would never have dared to come in here.
“Understood. We will wait outside.”
After they left, the door closed with a thud. In the vast room, only Damon, Theodore, and Theodore’s adjutant remained. After confirming that there was no one present besides themselves, Theodore turned his gaze to Damon.
“Thank you for granting my request, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“I-It is fine. More importantly, I am very curious about the mercenaries imprisoned in the dungeon…”
A strange smile formed around Theodore’s lips.
“There is something more important than that. I would like to know what I should call Your Highness.”
“……”
“Should I call you His Highness Crown Prince Alcaris? Or should I call you the black mage of the Kasim Mercenary Corps?”
Because he had fully expected this, Damon was not shaken in the slightest. He merely stared quietly into Theodore’s eyes.
After a brief silence, Theodore was the first to speak.
“If you wish to know what happened to the mercenaries and the Death Knight, please reveal your identity honestly. Even if you speak truthfully, no one will harm Your Highness. After Sir Philamones, the chief court mage, examined you once, and a second confirmation was completed at the Imperial Memorial Hall, the conclusion was reached beyond doubt that you are His Highness Crown Prince Alcaris.”
But Damon said nothing, only continued to stare quietly into Theodore’s eyes. Theodore went on without hesitation.
“In the Imperial Memorial Hall, there is a chamber that only those who have inherited the blood of the Krosen Imperial Family may enter. After Great Emperor Krosen passed away, mages from across the continent joined forces to create it in honor of his achievements. We have already drawn Your Highness’s blood and let it fall upon the crystal orb at the entrance to the memorial hall. The crystal orb, which is imbued with high-level magic, determines whether the owner of the blood has inherited Great Emperor Krosen’s lineage and opens the door according to the result. Upon confirming it, to our astonishment, the door to the memorial hall opened. In other words, it means that Your Highness is, without a doubt, a descendant who has inherited Great Emperor Krosen’s bloodline.”
“……”
“Therefore, no one would dare harm Your Highness. Even if what remains is only the body of His Highness Crown Prince Alcaris.”
Yet Damon still gave no answer. At last, Theodore had no choice but to bring out the trump card he had kept carefully hidden.
“The members of the Kasim Mercenary Corps, the Death Knight, and one Bone Dragon along with its remains have already been moved to a certain location. Are you not curious about what has happened to them?”
As Theodore had expected, Damon’s eyes wavered violently. To Damon, the words struck precisely where it hurt. Damon’s firmly closed mouth slowly opened.
“I had guessed as much from the magic circle on the floor. And I knew this moment would come as well.”
“Then Your Highness truly is the black mage of the Kasim Mercenary Corps.”
Damon silently nodded.
“That is correct. To be honest, I never dreamed that the original owner of this body would be the crown prince of the Krosen Empire. Of course, even if I had known, the result would not have changed.”
Theodore nodded silently, as if this was the result he had expected.
“Amazing. Until now, I had never heard that an entirely different soul could enter one body. I understood the exchange of souls to be solely within the realm of the gods.”
“In this world, many things occur that cannot be understood by human reason. If I were to explain it in detail, even several nights without sleep might not be enough, so I will speak briefly. Since you have already confirmed it, there is probably no doubt that the original owner of this body was the crown prince of the Krosen Empire. But the original owner’s soul is no longer in this world. The only soul remaining in this body is mine.”
A strange light flashed across Theodore’s face.
“Then the conclusion is that you killed His Highness Crown Prince Alcaris and stole his body.”
Damon silently shook his head.
“That is not so. When I first saw this body, it had been left on the brink of death by the Guardians’ attack. It was unconscious, so if I had left it alone, it would have died then and there.”
“There is no need to make excuses. Even if, by some chance, His Highness Crown Prince Alcaris died by your hand, there is no one who would take issue with it. At present, His Highness Crown Prince Alcaris is you.”
“……”
“I simply wish to know the details. After all, you are the one I must serve from now on. Before I offer my loyalty, I want to know clearly your true identity and status, as well as your purpose in coming here.”
Damon stared intently into the eyes of the regent, who was persistently digging into his past. He wondered if there might be some hidden purpose, but the other man’s eyes were far too clear and transparent for that.
After keeping silent for a while, Damon finally made up his mind.
“Very well. I will tell you.”
One by one, the past that had flowed by came from Damon’s mouth. Of course, it was a past with a considerable portion omitted.
“I was originally a war mage of Truvenia who took part in the Race War. I belonged to the black magic branch, and I even participated in the Battle of Northwood.”
Damon’s hidden history flowed out smoothly. How he had been captured alive by the red dragon Verkis at the Battle of Northwood, forcibly turned into a lich, and then became a 9th Circle Master in his lair; how he had rescued Crown Prince Alcaris and the various circumstances under which he had exchanged bodies—all of it was explained in detail. Theodore listened to every word of Damon’s account with an expressionless face.
"After escaping from Verkis’s clutches, I came to harbor a burning thirst for vengeance
against the race known as dragons. That was why I went to Northwood, awakened four Death Knights, and, taking advantage of the dragons’
period of slumber, even seized their magical treasure troves. But with the forces I possessed,
fighting the dragons was out of the question. That was why I crossed over to Arcadia.
I intended to join hands with the major powers here and, through all-out war, wipe the dragons
from existence."
"……."
"If they are rulers with power, I am willing to join hands with anyone. So long as they fight
the dragons with me. Do you understand?"
Having finished speaking, Damon stared straight into Theodore’s eyes.
"Originally, I had Duke Ferstein in mind as my collaborator. At present, he possesses the most
formidable power. But if you help me achieve my desire, I am willing to aid you
without the slightest hesitation. If I mobilize all the forces I possess, I should at least
be able to deal with a single dragon."
"……."
"I will be honest. I have no interest whatsoever in the imperial throne of the Crosen Empire.
That remains true even after learning that the body I took over belongs to the First Prince
of Crosen. My only concern, my only goal, is revenge against the dragons. Do you understand?"
"I understand."
Seeing Theodore nod, Damon urgently asked about the situation his companions were in.
"As promised, I have told you everything. Now it is time for you to keep your promise."
Theodore nodded with a heavy expression.
"The members of the Kassim Mercenary Corps are currently under Duke Ferstein’s protection. I understand they are being treated as honored guests,
so there should be no need for you to worry."
A roar of anger burst from Damon at once.
"You—you clearly said they were locked in an underground dungeon, did you not?"
"That was a lie. Only the Death Knights and the Bone Dragon are imprisoned in the underground dungeon."
"Seeing as you deceived me, it seems you have some scheme in mind……."
After maintaining silence for a moment, the words that flowed from Theodore were an answer that missed the point entirely.
"You have truly lived through a harsh fate. To have become a dragon’s slave, then escaped after countless hardships
and dreamed of revenge…… There are no few points that raise questions, but I will believe you."
"……."
"However, regrettably, you must now give up that revenge."
Realizing Theodore’s meaning, Damon’s expression hardened stiffly.
"Are you saying you intend to kill me?"
Theodore silently nodded.
"There is one thing you should know. The one who sent Crown Prince Alcaris to Truvenia
in the first place was me. Thanks to the sacred sacrifice of the two of you, that could be accomplished."
Something dropped with a thud inside Damon’s chest. If those words were true, this
situation was not the kind he could easily escape. Theodore silently looked up at the ceiling
and continued speaking.
"It was an extremely difficult decision made to stop Duke Ferstein’s tyranny. The decision
to send a prince of the imperial bloodline to his death. Though it was a decision made out of fervent loyalty
to the imperial family, I too suffered greatly."
"What you say contradicts itself completely. How can one loyal to the imperial family
sacrifice a prince? Is it perhaps to make the prince you serve into emperor?"
Theodore silently shook his head.
"As you know, Crown Prince Alcaris is feeble-minded. In a word, an idiot.
To prevent Duke Ferstein’s tyranny—his attempt to place a puppet on the throne and seize the government—
there was no other way."
Only then was Damon able to resolve the question he had had back then. The true purpose
of the human knights who had driven deep into Verkis’s lair with markedly inferior forces, only to be annihilated. Damon
let out a trembling laugh.
"Then I suppose I won’t be surviving either? After all, I can’t even move my body properly, and I cannot
use magic either."
"Please understand. For the continued existence of the imperial family, it was unavoidable."
Theodore took a small case from within his robes. When he opened the lid, a seal symbolizing
the authority of the regent revealed itself. Without hesitation, Theodore picked up the seal and set it down on the table,
then pulled at the inside of the case.
A moment later, a long needle appeared in his hand. Seeing the tip gleam with an inky light,
it was clear that it was coated with a deadly poison. Theodore stared quietly at the needle’s point.
"It is a poison made by mixing goblin neurotoxin with hydra bodily fluid. I assure you,
you will be able to pass into the next world without feeling any pain. Of course, I bear
no personal grudge against you. I do this solely for the greater cause, so please understand with generosity."
"Damn it."
Damon was disheartened. Judging by the situation, there seemed to be no way out at all. As if they trusted Theodore
completely, there was not the slightest sign from the knights outside the door. With a body that could not
even move properly, there was no chance of avoiding death by poison, and above all,
there was no way to deal with the Sword Master standing behind Theodore like an iron tower. Seeing him
listen to Theodore’s words with an expressionless face, he was certainly a faithful confidant who had already resolved
to share life and death with the regent.
Theodore’s voice rang quietly in Damon’s ears.
"Your road to the next world will not be lonely. I will follow you immediately."
"How moving. To devote your life in loyalty to the imperial family……."
"Thank you."
With a faint smile, Theodore suddenly looked back as though something had occurred to him. His adjutant
met Theodore’s gaze expressionlessly.
"Alex, I am sorry to make you accompany me on the road to the next world. Think of it as the sin of having chosen the wrong lord."
The reply from his adjutant Alex came unexpectedly readily.
"It is something I already asked for. In any case, do I not have neither relatives nor blood kin
left? As I have said several times already, I will share the end with you, Regent."
"True. Your family and relatives were all executed by Duke Ferstein.
I am truly sorry I could not avenge them."
"Please do not concern yourself."
Turning his head, Theodore looked straight at Damon.
"After sending you to the next world, I will follow after you together with Alex. Ordinarily,
I should be arrested and pay for my crimes, but I know far too many secrets for that to be possible.
Then, please prepare yourself."
"This is a life with far too many regrets to end like this. Truly regrettable."
At Damon’s mutter, Theodore’s expression hardened stiffly.
"Resign yourself to it, thinking that you chose a body you should not have chosen. Then, farewell."
Theodore’s hand stretched out. Between his fingers, the needle coated with deadly poison gleamed sharply.
The needle slowly advanced toward Damon’s body, which could not move an inch. But Damon had
no way to escape the crisis.