Chapter 41: Chapter 41

Chapter 41: “The Shuddering Mercenary”

A forest thick with fog.

Suddenly seven figures had appeared out of the void.

“……Was this Luseus’s doing?”

A woman’s face tightened. Superbia spoke, her voice filled with fury. The tone carried a chill that made those who heard it feel uneasy.

“Ira, what were you dawdling about? We had enough time to stop Zeke. And yet—”

A terrible murderous aura had welled up from Superbia’s entire body. It was a bloodthirsty energy that called to mind a demon.

Ira could not answer. He had already admitted his mistake.

“Ira, answer me. Why couldn’t you kill Luseus? Is freeing the Demon King’s seal a trivial matter to you?”

“……There was interference.”

“Interference? By whom? Did Reinhardt appear midway or something?”

Superbia’s eyes had cooled. The sound of bone cracking emitted from her hands one after another. It was as if she wanted to tear Ira apart on the spot. In truth, she almost did.

Superbia could not restrain the murderous aura that burst forth. Had he not been one of the Apostles, she would have leapt at him immediately. The only reason she had held back was because he was Ira.

Ira was the Apostle most skilled in magic among the seven. A weakened dragon would have been nothing to him. There had to be a reason.

“……Zeke’s son stopped me.”

Then Ira spoke. His voice had been weak.

“He was a fellow named Leon. A strange fellow for a warrior who used a sword. He interfered with me.”

Suspicion filled Superbia’s eyes. She had thought him extraordinary. That he was Zeke’s son was beyond her expectation.

Now she understood. Leon had been able to display power that temporarily exceeded that of a monster. With that sudden strength, even the seven Apostles would have found him hard to counter.

Superbia’s murderous aura began to subside. Ira’s words had sounded persuasive.

“The Conqueror…… that one and his children both kept getting in the way……!!”

Teeth ground together. This time they had expected success. The Apostles were hard to gather even once in several decades; he had summoned all seven Apostles to one place.

They had managed what hadn’t been done in centuries. And yet this was the outcome.

“Those bastards don’t deserve to live.”

Once again the murderous aura seized the hall.

Then a man spoke. One of the seven Apostles, Invidia.

“The results weren’t wholly nil. Luseus’s vitality has declined considerably. The magic required to send us here must have taken a heavy toll. His lifespan was likely shortened.”

He had spoken correctly. This raid had been launched taking into account that Luseus was not in a normal state. Though the result had been a failure, they had gathered a great deal of information.

Ira said, a bitter smile at his lips.

“Luseus has made an heir. He must have sensed his own death. The young dragon is a creature who can be killed at any time. Unlike an adult, it is frail. If we merely waited for Luseus’s death……”

Superbia cut Ira off. Her tone had been resolute.

“Have you forgotten those damned warriors of the North?”

Superbia spoke with contempt.

“The seven Apostles gathering was a rare event. For all seven to assemble happens perhaps once in hundreds of years. And yet we were thwarted. Ira, when do you say ‘after Zeke dies’? By then the dragon will have reached significant growth, won’t it?”

Ira was at a loss for words. Superbia’s words had struck him as correct.

“I’ll guarantee this: we won’t be able to break the Demon King’s seal in the future either. You saw it yourself—the brilliant talent of that brat Leon. He was like a younger Zeke. If he achieves growth, I can’t even imagine how strong he will become. And that’s not all—Zeke has two more children.”

Adam and Elsa. Their current combat strength might be weak, but they were frightening because of their futures. What would happen after they finished growing?

A shadow fell across the Apostles’ faces.

“So, are we going to just stand by?”

Ira spoke. Passion colored his sharp voice.

“Our time is limited. You know it too—the nature of the seed planted in the Demon King’s body. Five hundred years have already passed since that seed was left alone. In a few decades it will rot away.”

For a seed to grow it needed nourishment. The seed lodged within the Demon King’s body had received no nourishment for five hundred years.

If it had not contained the Evil God’s power, it would have rotted long ago.

“Never forget. The source of our power ultimately belonged to Jeozudin. If the seed dies, it would be as if we died too.”

“Full of hot air as always, even after hundreds of years.”

“None of us were ignorant of what you said. And yet we have not devised a countermeasure because of that damned Zeke who kept interfering. Ira, instead of spouting useless words, present a solution. How will we unseal it against that monster Zeke?”

Ira continued with a serious expression.

“Some time ago I kidnapped the royals of the elves to control the Elves.”

“Royals? Do you mean the High Elves?”

It had been unthinkable. The High Elves were beings who would be difficult to neutralize even for the seven Apostles. It would have been easier to kill them outright.

Ira nodded, as if it were natural that they should be puzzled.

“They were young. Easy to subdue. As you know, unlike before there is almost no discrimination between races now. Humans became more united after the Demon King’s return five hundred years ago. I will sever that unity.”

“I will spread a rumor. That Elphrel’s warriors are enslaving the High Elves. Even Zeke would be distracted if the Elves intervened. While they were divided, we could kill the young dragon.”

It was an excellent plan. If executed well, the conflict might not end with only a quarrel between Elphrel and the High Elves.

A millennium had passed since the world had made monsters a common enemy. If they could break human unity, their future maneuvers would be far easier.

‘Thought you were dithering away the years, but you were actually working diligently.’

Superbia smiled with satisfaction.

“Then where are the High Elves you kidnapped? We should at least implant a simple mind-control spell, just in case. If anyone found out, they should think it was the monsters’ doing.”

“But there is a problem.”

Ira spoke then, his face troubled.

“The High Elves we kidnapped escaped. We only located them recently. To put the plan into action, we must bring them here.”

“Where are they now?”

“In the Empire’s capital.”

Ira’s eyes had shone fiercely for a moment.

“It won’t take long. I’ll go and come back quickly.”

Retina had brewed an elixir, and a month had passed before they knew it. It had been a time that could be called short or long.

For Kazan it had been a long time.

The moment I returned to the capital, Kazan headed straight toward Garan. His lips were curved so high they could pierce the sky.

It was a rare sight — one that was almost never seen.

Even Garan blinked in surprise.

“Kazan? I heard you went to handle the request from the County of Enox. You’re later than I expected.”

“We can talk about that later. For now, please drink this first.”

Kazan handed him a small vial. His trembling hands betrayed his excitement.

“This will heal all of your internal injuries, Captain.”

“Another medicine? Forget it. I know my body better than anyone. These injuries can’t be cured by ordinary potions. Unless you’ve brought back a legendary elixir—”

“This is that elixir.”

“I went to the North with the members. It was to make this elixir. You don’t have to believe me—just please, take even a sip.”

It was as close to a plea as one could get. Even Garan, who had frowned with displeasure, couldn’t refuse such earnestness.

Garan looked between Kazan and Leon, as if to confirm whether Kazan’s words were true.

Leon nodded. He had never once lied.

Garan let out a long breath, followed by a sigh.

“Just this once. It won’t work anyway, but for the sake of your sincerity, I’ll try it.”

Kazan’s face brightened. It didn’t matter if Garan didn’t believe him — as long as he drank it, that was enough.

Everyone’s gaze turned toward Garan — Retina, nervous despite herself; Ryan, openly expectant; and Leon, calm as ever. The most update n0vels are published on novel※fire.net

All of them were focused on Garan’s next move.

Garan wore a slightly burdened expression, but a promise was a promise. He poured the contents of the vial into his mouth.

A blue whirlwind erupted around Garan. It was pure mana, swirling in a violent vortex.

It was a breathtaking sight. Mana so dense that it could be seen with the naked eye.

Leon stood there, stunned at the spectacle.

Then Garan spoke — his voice filled with blissful awe.

“Step outside for a while. Until I call for you, don’t let anyone come in.”

Kazan immediately obeyed the order, and so did the others.

Everyone felt it — Garan’s internal injuries had completely healed. More than that, he was ascending to a higher realm.

From within the inner chamber, loud crashes resounded one after another. Something inside kept breaking.

The mana turbulence was fiercer than expected.

Eventually, as the sounds began to subside—

Kazan quietly opened the door and peeked inside.

“Kazan, didn’t I say not to come in until I called you?”

A deep voice called out to him. It was different from before.

It was the excited voice of a man who had just received a precious gift.

At the same time, Leon felt it — the tremendous power now residing within Garan.

Goosebumps prickled his skin. His body instinctively warned him — Do not oppose the man before you.

Leon’s physique had grown significantly since the last battle with the Demon Beasts.

That was why he could tell — Garan had reached an unimaginable realm.

A Knight… he’s reached the state of complete mastery over Force!

It wasn’t impossible. The full potential of the elixir was still unknown. Its effects might go beyond mere healing — it might even serve as a divine tonic.

It was a level of growth that defied reason. There was no other explanation unless it was the elixir’s doing.

Even the air had changed. Absolute strength could alter the very atmosphere around it merely by existing.

And Garan before him was exactly that.

“Kazan, what happened here?”

Garan spoke, his voice trembling with overflowing emotion. Shock was plain on his face.

“My internal injuries are completely gone. And not just that—my mana has become far more refined than before. Are you telling me what I just drank was truly an elixir?”

“Yes, Captain. Retina, Ryan, and Leon — all of us worked together to make it possible.”

Kazan recounted everything from beginning to end — though there were parts he didn’t know. Ryan filled in those gaps.

He confidently told the story as he believed it — that Leon had paid a great price to obtain Dragon’s Blood, that Leon even knew Count Reinhardt personally.

In the end, he left out anything that might trouble Leon.

“Leon, it seems I didn’t know you as well as I thought. You’re a true man among men.”

Garan expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Leon.

“To think I’d ever owe my life to a newcomer… Life really is full of surprises. I’ll find a way to repay this debt. Kazan, I’m canceling my retirement.”

Kazan’s resounding reply made Garan grin broadly.

“It’s been too long since I’ve had a proper spar. I’m dying to test my body — and there’s something I’d like to talk about as well.”

With that, Garan and Kazan stepped outside together — looking as excited as children.

Leon couldn’t help but smile faintly at the sight.

A clear, gentle voice called out to him.