VOLUME 10: CHAPTER 12

VOLUME 10: CHAPTER 12

“How is she?”

Lark worriedly gazed at Lady Ropianna, who was currently lying on the bed. Her twig-like limbs were accentuated by the loose gown she was wearing.

After disseminating his orders to the patrols in the imperial envoy’s estate, Lark immediately went here to check on her condition.

“Due to her age, it’ll take some time for her to regain consciousness,” said the Chief Healer, who stood next to her bed. “But worry not, Your Majesty. She’s out of harm’s way. Her wounds have been fully healed, thanks to the potion Big Mona had given her.”

Lark’s gaze moved to the fat merchant standing a few steps behind him. He was as reliable as always.

“Thank you, Mona,” said Lark. “If not for you….”

Big Mona shook his head. He smiled, “Not at all, partner. I merely did the right thing.”

Those who’d known Big Mona for years and had suffered from his cruelty would cringe if they heard this. Such words were uncharacteristic of the merchant.

“She’s among this Kingdom’s pillars,” said Big Mona. “I’ll gladly spend a fortune, if it means I could save her, partner. This much is natural.”

Big Mona puffed out his chest in pride, almost popping out one of the buttons of his garb.

Based on what Lark heard, Big Mona was nearby when the attack on the Alchemy Tower transpired. After Big Mona learned of what happened to Lady Ropianna, he immediately gave his healing potion to the healers. And without reserve, he mobilized his men to ensure the security of the area. Moreover, in the event that the low-grade healing potion didn’t work, the fat merchant also sent word to the Merchants Guild in the capital to open his personal vault. Stored inside were several middle-grade potions he'd been saving until now.

Without a doubt, the fat merchant’s quick decision-making contributed to the royal court magician’s survival.

Lark touched Lady Ropianna’s forehead and gently stroked her hair. He softly said, “I’m glad you’re safe.”

The old woman’s chest slowly rose and fell. She looked at peace while sleeping.

As the King, Lark believed that this incident was an oversight on his part. He was partly to blame for this, and he had no intention of putting all of the blame on the Alchemy Tower or the Patrol.

“Take care of her,” Lark said to the Chief Healer. “The royal family will shoulder all expenses. Do everything you can to make sure she regains her full health.”

“I shall be done, Your Majesty.” The Chief Healer bowed.

***

After visiting Lady Ropianna, Lark went to the dungeon located in the castle. It was the same dungeon where Duke Kelvin had been imprisoned before. The dungeon where the most dangerous and heinous criminals awaiting their judgment were imprisoned. Lark noticed that the number of guards had been tripled. From a safe distance, he could even feel Elias Farsight watching over the dungeon’s entrance.

“Your Majesty!”

“Your Majesty!”

The guards saluted the moment they saw Lark approaching from a distance.

“Are they inside?” said Lark.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” said one of the guards. “We’ve shackled their bodies with mana-suppressing artifacts, as per your orders. We’ve also stationed several royal guards right outside their cells.”

Lark went inside the dungeon and reached the cell of the Morton Twins.

“Open it,” said Lark.

The guards opened the cell using a key and escorted Lark inside. The stench of blood, sweat, dust, and stale air filled the room. The guards activated the kalrane stones they were carrying, granting ample illumination to the prison cell.

“You’re finally here,” said Kazden. His shackled limbs were still mangled.

“It’s just like what you said, brother,” said Kale, smirking. His swollen face partly concealed one of his eyes. “The King personally came to visit us!”

Lark frowned. Despite being captured, the twins were still filled with hope and vitality. It was as though they were certain that they would soon be freed from this place. As though the trump card they were carrying would overturn everything.

“Free us, and we’ll give you what you want,” said Kazden smugly.

“What I want?” said Lark coldly.

“That’s right,” Kazden nodded. “I’ve thought about it before. Although you’re a monster, you’re just one man. It’ll be hard, even for you, to topple the Empire. A nation as small as this kingdom is nothing when faced against the hegemon of the continent.”

“Get straight to the point,” spat Lark. He’d heard that the twins refused to speak no matter what the guards did to them before. They must have endured the beatings for the sake of this meeting.

“Listen, young king,” said Kazden. “There’s a reason why we’ve managed to survive the underworld of the Empire for decades.”

Arrogantly, with a loud and clear voice, Kazden added, “We know things even most officials of the High Court don’t. We know things even Princess Luna and Jacob Fraser know nothing about.”

Kale grinned, showing several missing teeth. “We know the reason why the Emperor is so insistent on waging wars with other nations. Do you truly believe everything’s for the sake of expanding their land? The Emperor is no fool. He knows there is a limit on how much he could expand his dominion.”

Hearing this, Lark had to admit that he was interested. Indeed, he also found it puzzling that the Empire was trying to wage war on several fronts. No matter how powerful the Empire was, it would do them no good to become the enemy of the entire continent. Such greed would inevitably lead to a nation’s downfall.

“We’ve got to admit that you’re a powerful magician,” said Kazden. “A genius born once in a century! But you’re still young, Your Majesty! A greenhorn wet behind the ears! You need guidance in order for this nation to prosper. The information we’ll reveal to you, in exchange for our freedom, would be beneficial for the entire Kingdom. You would no longer have a reason to settle for a nation as small as this one! A larger territory! A more powerful army!”

“So, how about it, King Lark!” said Kale. “Although we killed that old woman, her life is nothing compared to the information we’re goi—”

Kale couldn’t even finish his statement as an ice spear impaled his chest without warning. And as though it wasn’t enough, another ice spear formed next to Lark and struck Kale’s head, piercing it.

Kale didn’t even twitch, as the first strike alone had instantly killed him.

“Stop blabbering,” Lark said coldly. “Listen. I’m not here to negotiate with you criminals.”

Quickly, Kazden’s expression transitioned from arrogance, to disbelief, then to fear. He repeatedly closed and opened his mouth. He still couldn’t believe that his twin brother had just died.

“Y-You! What are you doing!” croaked Kazden.

“As I’ve said,” Lark repeated. “I’m not here to negotiate with the two of you.”

Kazden shuddered upon meeting Lark’s gaze. For a moment, he wondered how someone so young could have such cold eyes. It was the eyes of someone who’d killed countless humans before. It was not the eyes of a young king who’d just ascended the throne.

Kazden realized that they tried approaching this the wrong way. They realized that they should have begged and asked for forgiveness instead of trying to negotiate.

“W-Wait! I’ll tell you everyth—”

Kazden suddenly found himself unable to speak. An indescribable pressure had enveloped the entire room. Peculiarly, it did not affect the royal guards who’d been accompanying Lark. The pressure was directed to Kazden alone.

Slowly, Lark walked toward him.

“There’s no need for that,” said Lark. He grabbed Kazden’s head. “I’ll just read your memories.”

Kazden tried squirming, but his body refused to move.

“Luckily, you’re not only a powerful magician, but also a powerful swordsman,” said Lark. “You wouldn’t easily break. We can do this all day.”

That last statement was horrifying.

Color drained off Kazden’s face.

It felt like the Lord of the Underworld was staring at him.

He realized that a fate worse than his twin brother’s was waiting for him.

Kazden tried screaming, but no words came out.

***

For several hours, Lark patiently read the fragments of memories of Kazden Morton. He did not stop, until the bloodthirsty murderer finally breathed his last.

“An information broker in the Outer District,” said Lark.

He learned that the twins left the medicines they’d stolen from the Alchemy Tower with the information broker from the Empire.

“The Broken Boar Weapons Shop in the Outer District,” Lark said to the soldiers around him. “Send word to Commander Danack and tell him to secure the area and capture the shopkeeper alive.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

The library located in the second floor of that weapons shop contained important information regarding the Kingdom. It was amazing that for decades, they’d never discovered the existence of such a place until now.

‘The Princess and the rest of the envoys are innocent, huh?’ thought Lark.

According to the memories of Kazden, the Princess and the rest of the envoys weren’t aware of this matter. They did not know that the Emperor ordered the twins to infiltrate the group and sow discord between the two countries. Although the envoys held an ulterior motive, it was true that they came here to form friendly ties with his country.

‘Even that magician, Jacob Fraser, is after the formula for the medicine.’

It seemed that ‘Triple Cast’ Fraser had also been tasked with the mission of securing samples of the cure for parasitization.

Lark wryly smiled.

Had they asked, he would have gladly given them the formula. All along, he had no intention of keeping those medicines for himself. Looking at the bigger picture, it would benefit their kingdom if the other nations were also capable of curing the parasitizations.

Lark gazed at the corpse of Kazden. He’d never expected a criminal like him to hold so much valuable information. Based on the man’s memories, the Emperor was currently searching for the ruins of an ancient kingdom. A powerful nation that was founded over a millennium ago.

And based on the information the Emperor had gathered, the ruins was located in the Republic of Everfrost.

“The painting…” mumbled Lark.

As far as he remembered, the painting of one of his disciples – Leanne, the ‘Deity of the Desert’ – was stolen by the pirates from Everfrost, then smuggled to the Empire several decades ago. The founder of the Vont Family, who was originally a citizen of the Empire, brought the painting with him when he immigrated to the Kingdom. And through his descendant, Chryselle Vont Aria, Lark was able to get his hands on it.

Lark started putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

The pirates who stole the painting.

The Empire and the Emperor.

The ruins in the Republic of Everfrost.

The blueprint of the magic towers the Vont Family was storing in their treasury.

Moreover, it seemed that one of the reasons why the Empire was insistent on annexing the Kingdom of Lukas was related to the Forbidden Region located adjacent to Daxton City.

It seemed that the Emperor was aware that the labyrinth at the heart of the Forbidden Region in the Kingdom was somehow related to the Magic Empire.

Had the Kingdom lost the war with the Empire a few years ago, the Emperor would have probably ordered his men to comb through the Forbidden Region for any treasures related to the Era of Magic.

After pondering, everything started connecting and making sense. Lark surmised that there was a high chance that the ruins located in the Republic of Everfrost was also related to the Magic Empire.

Was it the ruins of one of their vassal nations?

Or was it the ruins of one of their cities?

‘I should look into this matter.’

The artifacts of the Magic Empire were powerful enough to pose a threat even to Lark. Even during the Cataclysm and the Descent, the Magic Empire remained a stronghold for years, despite the lack of mana in the surroundings, before finally collapsing. This served as a testament on how powerful those weapons were. They were powerful enough to deter even the advance of the Demon Race.

***

“Lord Fraser, what should we do?”

A few hours after the Morton Twins had been captured, the surviving members of the Golden Crow Association went to Jacob Fraser’s room to seek his insight on the current matters.

“Princess Luna cooped up herself in her room, refusing to meet with anyone,” said the merchants.

“That… that woman!” one of the merchants dared to spout blasphemy against a royal. “As the leader of the envoys, she should be taking responsibility for this mess! But instead, she hid herself in her room and refused any audiences!”

The merchants were fuming with anger.

And it was understandable.

After all, after the events that had transpired, it wouldn’t be surprising if all of them were taken to the chopping block. It wouldn’t be strange if the King ordered for everyone’s execution.

“The Princess is currently not feeling well,” said Jacob Fraser. “This may sound like an excuse, but this is the truth. Even the mages who came with we can verify this matter.”

The merchants looked at the mages, who silently stood behind Fraser. The words of the Vice Master of the Fourth Tower carried weight, and the merchants had no choice but to believe them.

One of the merchants mumbled, “Well… Her Highness must have been in shock. So many people died, and even those bloodthirsty murderers turned out to be hiding among us.”

“Then, what should we do?” another merchant whispered. “Are we supposed to wait here until the King of Lukas metes out a verdict?”

The merchants sighed.

Their representative humbly bowed, “Lord Fraser, please. We’ll entrust this matter in your hands.”

Jacob Fraser nodded, “Of course. For now, go back to your rooms and rest.”

Although a large portion of the mansion had been destroyed during the battle, there were still several usable rooms remaining. The envoys would normally be transferred to another residence after such incidences, but due to the tension between the two nations, the envoys were simply glad to have a roof over their heads. They were glad that they weren’t kicked out of the estate completely.

The merchants left Jacob Fraser’s room while whispering to each other. They would probably find it hard to sleep, until this matter was resolved.

“Lord,” said one of the magicians of the Fourth Tower. “The Princess…”

“I know,” said Fraser. “It’s the symptoms of mana depletion.”

They didn’t tell the merchants this to prevent unnecessary worry and rumors. When Jacob Fraser visited the Princess a few hours ago, he noticed that she was showing signs and symptoms of mana depletion. It was as though she’d pushed her mana core to the limit, wrung it dry, and tried to use it again without replenishing it.

It was already amazing that she hadn’t lost consciousness yet.

“Is Her Highness a magician?” said one of the mages. “This is the first time I’ve heard of this.”

This was true for Fraser too. During the entirety of their journey, not even once had he seen the Princess use magic. Fraser was confident that he would have noticed even the slightest traces of mana being used.

“There might be eyes watching us,” said Jacob Fraser. “For now, keep this matter to yourselves.”

Fraser called out his most-trusted subordinate, “Elric.”

“Yes, Lord Fraser.”

“Take three of your men with you and visit the Princess. If the servants or the soldiers refuse to let you in, tell them it’s my orders. Stabilize her mana. Make sure she regains even a portion of her strength back. We never know when we’ll be summoned for an audience by King Lark.”

“Understood.”

The last thing they’d want was for the Princess to be unable to answer the summons of King Lark. In their current situation, they couldn’t afford to show such discourtesy to the royal family of this Kingdom.

Jacob Fraser looked outside the window. From here, he could see the dozens of soldiers that had cordoned the area. Fortunately, the knight clad in armor, who accompanied King Lark, was nowhere to be found. Otherwise, it would be hard even for Fraser to go out and fulfill the number one reason why he'd come to this Kingdom.

“I’ll be gone for a bit,” said Fraser.

“B-But Lord Fraser!” said one of the magicians.

“Elric, you’ll be in charge.”

“Understood. Please come back safely, my Lord.”

Fraser opened the window, cast concealment magic on himself, and flew outside the mansion. Although he could maintain his flight magic for only five minutes at most, it was more than enough for him to pass through the patrol’s security unnoticed.

“A cure,” Jacob Fraser said to himself. “I need to find it.”

Jacob Fraser had done extensive research regarding the Seven Weeks Disease before. He was aware that until now, there had been no known cure for the damnable curse. He’d combed the imperial library for any clues and any records related to the disease, but to no avail.

No one, regardless of wealth and status, had survived past the seven weeks mark.

Jacob was hoping that the cure for the parasitization would be capable of curing the Seven Weeks Disease, but it seemed this option had flown out of the window. After the Morton Twins stole those medicines from the Alchemy Tower, Jacob was certain that it would now be next to impossible to get his hands on even a single vial.

Unless they were fools, the Lukasians would fortify the defenses and increase the security of the Alchemy Tower.

“Damn it.”

Jacob gritted his teeth.

Although he felt hopeless, he still refused to give up. If his hunch was correct, the King of Lukas would probably summon their group tomorrow or the day after to mete out an appropriate punishment for the crimes the Morton Twins had committed. Therefore, tonight was his only remaining chance. He needed to find any and all available clues related to the cure in this Kingdom.

Wearing a hooded cloak, Jacob Fraser asked around regarding the information guilds in the capital. He even bribed several merchants to obtain the information he needed. Eventually, he learned of the information guild of an old man called Casius.

“It should be here,” said Fraser.

The small building was located near the recently reformed slums. Unlike several months ago, this place was no longer dilapidated. It was no longer dirty, and it no longer reeked of death and poverty. The houses were rebuilt with the help of the royal family, and the residents of the slums were given proper jobs and wages. The formerly narrow, muddy road had been paved and expanded.

Jacob Fraser entered the information guild.

“How may I help you, sir?” the female clerk at the counter greeted him with a smile.

The ground floor was almost empty, save for the two bulky men sitting at one of the tables and the clerk on the counter.

Jacob moved closer to the counter and said in a low but confident voice, “I’m here to buy information.”

“Information,” repeated the clerk. “We pride ourselves for being the best intelligence agency in the capital. What kind of information are you looking for, sir?”

Jacob almost snorted after hearing the clerk glorify the name of their association.

Intelligence agency?

They sure love such fancy titles.

He’d met countless information guilds before, and none of them were able to give him the information he needed until now. Honestly, Jacob Fraser knew in his heart that the result would be the same in this Kingdom. Still, he had to try. He’d vowed to do everything he could for his little brother, no matter what.

“The Seven Weeks Disease,” said Jacob Fraser. “I want to buy all and any information you have regarding it.”

The clerk tilted her head to the side for a moment. “Understood. Although this is the first time I’ve heard of this, I’m certain that one of our officers would be able to help you. Please wait here for a while, sir.”

“Sure,” said Fraser.

The clerk left the counter, and after several minutes, she came back and ushered Jacob Fraser to a room located underground.

Fraser felt several people, who were probably guards, hiding nearby. Should problems arose, they would probably kill him with a single order from their master.

“We’re here,” said the clerk. “The Information Guild Leader is waiting for you inside.”

Jacob Fraser entered the underground room and the door closed behind him.

The room felt empty – a wooden table, four chairs, and a large kalrane stone on the ceiling. Sitting on one of the chairs was a hunched old man wearing shabby clothes.

“Sit down, young man,” said the old man.

Fraser sat down on the chair opposite the old man. “You’re the Information Guild Leader?”

“That’s right,” nodded the old man. “Casius. Leader of the best Information Agency of the Kingdom.”

Again with the fancy title.

Jacob would laugh at the old man in the face if he couldn’t give him the information he was looking for.

“I heard that you’re looking to buy information regarding the Seven Weeks Disease,” said Casius. “Although I can’t give you the cure, I can tell you where to find it.”

For a moment, Jacob Fraser’s mind went blank. He’d been expecting to come out empty-handed again this time, but this information broker in front of him was telling him that he knew where to find the cure for the Seven Weeks Disease. It was truly unexpected.

“I’ll kill you if you’re lying, old man,” threatened Fraser. “I know that there are two men hiding in this room, right behind that wall.” Fraser pointed at the wall behind them. “You’re being too overconfident if you think they’ll be enough to suppress me. So, I’m warning you now, old man. Don’t you even dare lie to me.”

“Suppress you?” Casius laughed. “I wouldn’t dare, of course not.”

The old man leaned closer. “Jacob ‘Triple Cast’ Fraser. I believe you’re supposed to be confined in that mansion. I wonder what you’re doing here, at this time of the night, looking for information regarding the Seven Weeks Disease.”

“How did you—”

“—As I’ve said before, we pride ourselves for being the best information agency in the entire Kingdom.” Casius grinned. “So, let’s get back to the topic. As I’ve said before, I do not have the cure, but I can point you to the person who could create it.”

Casius raised his index finger. “But everything has a price, Triple Cast. How much? How much are you willing to pay for this information?”

Jacob Fraser didn’t hesitate as he answered, “Two hundred gold coins. I can give it to you right now.”

Casius shook his head. “I’m afraid that is too little. It would have sufficed, under normal circumstances. But the creator of the cure is an incredibly powerful individual in this country. Giving out any information regarding him carries great risk, you see.”

Jacob Fraser frowned. “Then tell me. How much do you want?”

“Two thousand gold coins,” said Casius. “This is the least amount I could offer you right now. So, how about it?”

It was blatant extortion.

It was ten times the amount offered by Fraser.

Still, this was the first time Jacob Fraser had come this close to a lead. He knew he couldn’t let go of this chance.

“I do not have two thousand gold coins with me,” said Jacob Fraser. He took out a ring from his finger and placed it on the table. “It’s the ring symbolizing the Vice Master of the Fourth Tower. It’s made of mithril, and the small insignia at the center is made of adamantite.”

Casius took the ring and inspected it.

“Although this is the first time I’ve seen adamantite,” said Casius as he gazed at the ring. “I’m certain that the body of the ring itself is made of mithril. A magic artifact, eh? Just this ring alone should cost around five thousand gold coins, probably more. Are you sure about this? Very well, I’ll accept this as the payment.”

Casius whistled and tucked the ring inside his inner pocket. He placed both of his arms together and rested his chin on them.

“More than three years ago,” said Casius. “The very first case of a patient recovering from the Seven Weeks Disease was recorded.”

Jacob Fraser subconsciously gulped.

Finally, it was here.

“A girl called Anisette, daughter of a mason,” said Casius, “in a small town located in the middle of the wilderness. A town located near the Endless Forest. The town ruled by the current King of Lukas – Blackstone Town.”

Casius paused, looked at Fraser in the eyes, and said, “The person you’re looking for – the one who cured the girl was none other than the current king, His Majesty, King Lark.”