Chapter 1378.2
Empress Redimia seemed to have collected herself. In the meantime, Davey opened a hole in the mist again and was about to contact Heins and instruct them to investigate whether Imperial Grandson Belluard or Imperial Prince Vashas were truly involved.
- I actually investigated with a little help from the Gourmet Research Society. It seems certain that Imperial Grandson Belluard is connected to this incident. I think we can secure a decent amount of evidence as well.
“What about Vashas?”
- Actually, it seems like something happened a couple of days ago. I heard that he urgently left his place and headed somewhere else.
“Is there no confirmation of where he went?”
- No. Moreover, the atmosphere within the Heins Territory is unusual right now. You know how well-liked Grand Duchess Aeria is by the people.
It seemed rumors had begun to circulate that Belluard had tried to assassinate her. From that man’s perspective, it’d be terrifying to be confronted as the victim after going through so much effort to keep everything hidden. Yet, since that outcome worked best for the Goran Kingdom, whether he felt terrified or not didn’t matter to them.
“So then Belluard’s confirmed, after all.”
- That's what we’ve found for now. My gut tells me Imperial Prince Vashas isn’t involved.
“Then where’d he go?”
- Well, I heard the head butler of his mansion was murdered. The prince was very close with him, so he might’ve moved to investigate that.
If that was true, Vashas wouldn’t have been involved in the whole debacle.
‘Vashas, if you don't want to die, you better have run plenty far away.’
Davey chuckled. “This is what happens when you pamper a scoundrel who can't tell right from wrong.”
This matter wouldn't end just by him simply catching and beating Belluard. Nothing would be more troublesome than if the incident became the precursor to a power struggle between the Lyndis Empire and Heins Territory.
If Vashas became completely insane after losing his son, Davey would be left with no choice but to properly crush him.
However, it left a bad taste in his mouth that both outcomes would accomplish what the Goran Kingdom wanted.
“Haah. How much do they have to look down on people to plot this kind of scheme?”
- Should I prepare a coup?
“Just keep investigating. As soon as I’m finished here, I’ll wipe Goran off the map.”
- Then I’ll try to collect more evidence so that the Goran Kingdom has no way out.
Aina, having learned the Goran Kingdom was the mastermind behind the incident, seemed ready to join forces with the Gourmet Research Society and resume the investigation. Since the suspect had already been identified, the investigation would proceed much faster.
There was a reason the Pallan, Contas, and Lyndis Empires had avoided provoking Heins.
‘These guys have a lot of nerve to even try something like this.’
The Goran Kingdom was infamous for corruption as well as tyranny. There was no guarantee that the higher-ups would be smart enough to heed the warning signs.
After giving Aina additional instructions, he returned to the cave, speculating about where Vashas might’ve gone.
He hadn’t yet heard about the accident from Redimia, but it didn't matter. There was no rush. After all, he had decided to take her out of there.
“Are you done with your business, Teacher?” Josiah asked, twisting her stiff body this way and that.
“Let's go down right away. I’ll release her confinement. Let’s go to the Empire immediately.”
“Yes.”
[J-just a moment, Davey!!]
When he immediately tried to head for the underground tomb where the Primordial True Ancestor slept, Redimia panicked.
[I heard how strong you are from Aeria, but going in with insufficient preparation is too dangerous!]
Despite hearing about his escapades and accomplishments from Aeria, she had yet to accurately grasp his capabilities. She felt it necessary to dissuade him from running into danger.
[That place is truly dangerous! Do you have any idea how much of that deep, dark energy I’ve been tracking over the past decade?]
“So then you know the location.” Saying that, he put on the outer garment he had taken off. “Regardless of the outcome, in order to free you from this place, I must either suppress or devour the power of the bastard sleeping down there.”
[It's too dangerous! The monster sleeping down there has endured countless ages, yet still emits this much power. We should only approach after gathering more people and preparing thoroughly.]
Even as she tried to stop Davey, she guided him toward the energy. Once they arrived, they saw a huge stone gate and a red crystal ball that appeared to be its core. She stood in front of him again.
[Davey, I'm not doing this for my personal glory right now. The inside really is too dangerous. Not just for you, but for Aeria too!]
She repeatedly emphasized the danger and tried to stop him, but he lightly passed her and reached for the red crystal ball.
[N-no! If you touch that, all your power will be instantly sucked out on the spot—]
Crack!!
Seeing the crystal ball instantly shatter the moment he touched it, Empress Redimia's mouth dropped open.
[W-what is...]
GRRR!!!
At the same time, the enormous stone gate guarding the underground tomb began to open.
Clank. Clank.
Red suits of armor began to emerge from within, each wielding power far beyond anything Redimia had seen before.
Once the armored figures stepped out, radiating an overwhelming force as if what they had faced before was only a preview, Empress Radimia’s face paled as she began shouting.
[R-run away! Those things are extremely dangerous!!]
As she said, they were indeed strong.
“Should I take care of them?” Josiah offered Davey.
He dryly replied, “Forget it. If I leave it to you, it’ll take all day.”
“Ugh. Seriously!”
Davey lightly stretched as Josiah grumbled in the back. He planned to quickly finish them off and loot all the valuable things inside. If the owner of the tomb had truly been righteous, he would’ve shown proper respect. But since it had caused indiscriminate harm, it practically deserved to have its treasures taken.
Josiah wore an incredulous expression once she heard him explain his reasoning. “What kind of logic is that?”
As they chatted, ignoring the suits of armor advancing toward them every moment, Empress Redimia still fretted and tried to stop him.
[Davey!! It's dangerous!!!]
Despite her cry, he struck the air.
Since Super Ribbon was attending classes on Earth, he only had one option.
Crackle!!!
An ink-black spear formed in his hand. Holding the Divine Spear Longinus, he took a step forward.
Clang!!
At the same time, sharp wind flew in like awls, instantly tearing apart the nearby suits of armor.
The solid rock walls were also chipped away.
[Huh?]
No one could stop him. Since treasure was waiting inside, he planned to loot it as quickly as possible.
He kicked away the suits of armor that then shattered into pieces. “Let's go.”
[Good heavens... Aeria, what on earth did your husband do before coming here? I've heard the stories, but how, at that age...?]
“He’s a truly incredible person, Mother.”
[I-I suppose so...]
Every single one of the suits of armor was strong enough to generate an Aura Blade, the symbol of a master.
Empress Redimia stared in shock at Davey as he instantly smashed the suits of armor to pieces.
[B-but this is likely just the beginning. The deeper we go, the stronger the... More powerful offshoots will appear.]
[Longinus Second Form]
[Nuclear Spear]
[Increasingly powerful...]
[8th Circle Heat Wave]
[Range Compression]
[Prometheus]
Davey blasted straight from the first basement level to the fourth, where the tomb lay, so the Empress Redimia ran out of words and just stared at him in a daze.
[When I first heard you mention his stories, I thought they were mere exaggerations. Now I understand why the Lyndis Empire maintains friendly relations with the Heins Territory.]
He smashed everything in his path—master-level enemies, dangerous magic, traps, all of it—and walked straight through, completely leaving her flustered.
“Redimia,” he called out casually, as if they were taking a walk in the park.
[Y-yes?]
“If you don’t mind, could you tell me about the accident from back then as we head down? I know it must be painful, but Aeria was so shocked by it that she lost her memories from that time. She came here to find those memories.”
He couldn’t restore memories that were already lost, but he could at least learn what had happened from another perspective.
Redimia stared at him for a few moments, then let out a sigh.
[It seems this underground tomb poses absolutely no threat to you...]
“It's merely the remnants left behind by a fallen divinity, after all. The owner of the tomb won't suddenly kick open the coffin lid and pop out, even if we go to the lowest level. It’ll just be an underground dungeon with lingering residual power.
‘An dungeon with no owner? I can’t pass on these spoils.’
While he was sick of the vampires that kept coming out one after another, it was to be expected.
They were a race that betrayed the gods. The vampire race was the most incompatible with what Goddess Freyja had done.
[Well, that's astounding! Very well. If Aeria wants to know...]
As if she was tired of being surprised, she slowly opened her mouth. Yet, she spoke about something else.
[Before that... you seemed to be using magic just a moment ago.]
“Huh? Oh, yeah.”
[By any chance... What circle are you?]
It seemed her curiosity had been piqued, owing to her skills as a mage during her lifetime.
“I passed the concept of circles a long time ago,” he answered with a smirk.
Davey had passed 9th Circle Transcendence and reached magic’s Unexplored Domain. Of course, one of the main reasons for that was Odin, the God of Mages.
Dumbfounded, Empress Redimia asked Aeria a question.
[Hon, is that normal for mages these days?]
“Not at all,” Aeria answered. “From what I recall, Great Sage Hellison Valestia, who was called the continent's greatest mage, was only around 7th Circle.”
Empress Redimia looked straight at Davey again. She clearly marveled at what kind of lunatic he was.
Leaving her behind as she kept pondering, Davey casually kicked down what looked like the final door and shattered it, revealing a massive coffin inside.
“What is that?”
[I’ve never seen it before either. But that’s probably the source of the power consuming this canyon.]
Everyone but Davey was wary that something might pop out of the coffin, but he already knew the moment he saw it. The Primordial True Ancestor had already vanished a long time before.
All that remained in the tomb were artifacts and treasures—enough to make anyone’s head spin—as well as a coffin that seemed to hold the Primordial True Ancestor’s power from just before their death.
