Chapter 116
“Loyalty!”
The guards saluted Joshua without moving as the latter emerged from the imperial gates.
Joshua was walking fast, but he suddenly stopped to turn back and look at the Imperial Palace. He had spent most of the previous five years there.
He had also made a lot of new memories there.
“I don’t want to feel attached, but…” Joshua muttered with a stiff look. He had achieved all his goals in the Imperial Palace over the past five years aside from one goal. He had climbed up the ranks to become the Reserve Battalion Commander of the Imperial Knights Order. He also managed to enter the Secret Treasury to reclaim an obsidian earring and was bestowed the name ‘Sanders’ to replace ‘Agnus’.
He had also met the Assassin King, Aisha Sestropi, and changed her life. In addition, he managed to form a group he could proudly call his own inside the Imperial Palace.
Most importantly…
“Kaiser ben Britten.”
Joshua's brows furrowed upon uttering the name.
Joshua's initial plan had been to completely demolish Kaiser ben Britten’s foundations while he was still at the Imperial Palace.
To do so, he had been planning on obstructing Kaiser’s meeting with his ‘real’ people. Joshua knew that those people would arrive once Kaiser had established his foundation within the Imperial Palace.
‘I didn’t even have to make a list because I have carved their faces in my mind.’
However, Joshua’s plan failed because he was unaware of one fact.
‘I had no idea that they were already Kaiser’s people before they even arrived at the Imperial Palace.’
Joshua grimaced at that.
It was all because it didn’t make sense. He could clearly remember that the Fourth Prince’s foundation was so bad it was even a joke to compare his foundation to the First Prince and the Second Prince.
The Fourth Prince rose to the throne with less than five percent of the Imperial Palace’s people on his side, and he only managed to beat the others after making ‘smart’ decisions.
It made as much sense as a priest marrying a black mage. The questions had been gnawing at Joshua’s nerves for a while until he finally got an answer from Aisha just a few days ago.
“His Majesty’s sudden disappearance back then has to be related to them. It makes sense because they could make even Aisha tremble in fear. They’re the third camp…”
The new information was unsettling because even the mighty Emperor Marcus was unaware of the third camp’s existence. However, the existence of the third camp was the most plausible explanation for Joshua’s questions. An unknown, powerful third camp was definitely supporting Kaiser from behind the scenes.
Unfortunately, Joshua discovered it too late. He had been hoping to snatch Kaiser’s followers away from the latter, but to think that they had been Kaiser’s comrades since the latter was born.
'No, perhaps it’s safe to assume that Kaiser has always been on their side.'
Joshua felt complicated. He went around flaunting his power in the middle of the enemy’s camp.
‘The discovery of the third camp is the reason why I decided to flee the Imperial Palace.’
Life and death could easily be decided depending on the depths of one’s information about the other side. Fortunately, Joshua managed to take advantage of the upcoming Reinhardt Masters’ Battle as a cover for his departure from the Imperial Palace.
'Reinhardt, the setting for the Master Battle, is a transnational neutral metropolis that belongs to no one. It is also an information hub, not to mention a transit hub because it is located in the middle of the continent. In addition, Moon Gate's headquarters is in Reinhardt—’
Joshua awakened from his thought-induced stupor.
Someone was blocking his path.
“Father.” Joshua stared at his father for a while.
“Joshua.” Duke Aden von Agnus approached and said, “You have never visited me in the past five years, and now you’re just going to leave?”
“...” Joshua kept his mouth shut.
“Do you… hate me?” Duke Agnus said, “Are you upset that I chose Babel as my successor? Even when logically speaking, I should choose you when you are more powerful?”
Joshua’s eyes briefly glimmered at Duke Agnus’ question.
“Honestly, I’m…” Joshua trailed off.
Eventually, he continued and squeezed the words out of his throat, one word at a time.
“I hate you...”
“...” It wasn't a surprising response.
Duke Agnus revealed a seemingly sour grin.
Joshua continued, pulling him in. “But it's not because of that decision. In fact, it was a great choice on your part. Anyway, I don’t really have any regrets when it comes to my family.”
“...”
“My father, who loved the name Agnus a lot, simply didn’t choose me as his successor because I wasn’t interested in the Agnus’ name. Father, you did your best as the head of the family, so you do not have to worry about me.”
Duke Agnus nodded. He stared into Joshua’s eyes and started. “Yes, that’s right. If—”
However, Joshua interrupted him. “There’s only one reason why I have always hated you, Father.”
Joshua noticed Duke Agnus’ astonished expression. At that, he calmed down and said, “You were clearly capable of taking care of Mother, but you ignored her for the sake of the Angus family.”
“That’s…” Duke Agnus sighed. “I see.”
“But it’s all water under the bridge,” said Joshua.
“...?”
“Mother has never been so happy until recently…”
“You…” Duke Agnus realized that Joshua had been visiting Lucia but not him.
“Thank you very much for teaching my knight and caring for my mother.” Joshua bowed toward Duke Agnus and said, “I wish you for your guidance.”
“...!” Duke Agnus’ eyes widened at Joshua’s gesture.
"It will be my pleasure."
At that, Duke Agnus smiled.
In the middle of the road, only their voices could be heard, along with the chirping of the birds.
***
The Holy Empire Hubalt was located on the eastern half of the continent. In the middle of a huge Hermes Temple, there was a knight kneeling in worship.
The knight was a young man with lengthy, lustrous blond hair that grew to his waist, and his pristine white armor complimented him well. The young man’s green eyes were full of life, and they looked as if they were emeralds.
Moreover, he exuded a holy aura with an appearance that clearly said, ‘I’m a Holy Knight!’
Amidst the silence, someone silently approached the young man.
“Christian.”
“Ah!”
The young man exclaimed and jumped up to his feet.
“Master!” the young man exclaimed upon seeing the middle-aged man standing in front of him.
The middle-aged man looked barely thirty, had silver hair, and a demeanor that screamed kindness. His looks also didn’t pale in comparison to Christian at all. Most importantly, he seemed to have a heavenly halo behind him, constantly emitting an indescribable holy aura.
The middle-aged man was dressed in a modest and pristine white coat, but he was one of the continent’s Nine Stars as well as one of the Masters of the Hubalt Empire.
He was none other than the Knight of God—Chrysler jean Sebastian.
“Are you getting ready to leave?”
The blond-haired Christian eagerly nodded. “Yes, Master… I will be back in perfect health.”
Chrysler smiled warmly at Christian's response.
“You have talent, and with that, you will have no trouble attracting everyone’s attention. I believe no one among the A-Class Knights will be able to give you a hard time unless your opponent is one of the Nine Stars or one of the Twelve Superhumans.”
“Yes! And all these are thanks to Master’s teachings!”
“But—” Chrysler said in a stiff voice.
“Yes?” Christian tilted his head.
Chrysler continued. “Ulabis, the Knight of Red Flame. You have to be extremely cautious against him.”
“Ulabis… is it the current ruler of Thran, Master?” asked Christian.
Chrysler nodded. “He is a guy with indescribable, extraordinary abilities. The Magic Tower has also been monitoring him. Above all, there's no need for an innocent third party like you to meddle in other people's quarrels, is there?”
“Ah… Duke Altsma.”
“That’s right.” Chrysler warmly smiled. However, he seemed to have recalled something as he hesitated for a bit.
'Had that kid said he was going to participate in the Masters’ Battle as well?'
Chrysler shook his head, and his face was painted with worry when he recalled the events of the Reinhardt Martial Arts Competition years ago.
'He's a brilliant kid, but in the end, he's still a kid.'
At that, Chrysler swept his concerns aside and asked Christian, “Have you decided how you want to go to Reinhardt? I'll arrange a separate carriage for you if you haven't chosen your ride just yet.”
“No, Master. I still have some free time before I have to travel to Reinhardt, so I'd like to make a pit stop at the border.”
“At the border?” Chrysler stiffened.
“Yes, Master. Within Avalon Empire’s territory, beyond our western border with Avalon.”
Chrysler shook his head. “You want to trespass on the enemy’s territory?”
However, Christian seemed adamant as he said, “I know it’s a very risky move, but I have heard some rumors about the appearance of a Lich just beyond the eastern border of Avalon. I am one of God’s knights as well, so I believe that it’s my duty to verify the rumors and vanquish the Lich if the rumors were true.”
“Lich!” Chrysler exclaimed with amazement.
Even high-class mages wouldn’t be able to escape the passing of time. They would eventually use up their lifespan, and Liches were mages who had sacrificed their souls when they were still alive so that they could still continue their pursuit of the truth as one of the undead.
High-class mages who turned themselves into Liches could employ devastating spells with black magic, which made them formidable foes to deal with. Fortunately, there weren’t many high-class mages on the continent, so Liches were incredibly rare.
“Could it be a trap?”
“I believe that it has some credibility because the news came directly from High Priest Herald.”
“Is it a divine revelation, then?” asked Chrysler, but he eventually sighed deeply and placed his hands on his disciple’s shoulders.
“Take care. In certain situations, you could get in danger.”
“I understand, Master! I will also seek help from a local temple.”
“All right.” Chrysler nodded.
However, he seemed delighted as he asked, “Anyway, can you tell me where it is?”
At Chrysler’s question, Christian confidently replied, “In Tripia, the easternmost province of the Avalon Empire.”
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