Chapter 616
Now, In This Dream. (3)
It felt like the pieces of the puzzle were finally coming together.
The Hero and the Saintess had sacrificed themselves to seal the Demonic Abyss.
But for those left behind, it must have been unsettling to simply leave the Demonic Abyss as it was. Someone had to watch over the place, which had now transformed into the Forest of Beasts.
The Founder King, the Shadow Knights' Commander, and the ancestor of Ferdium.
These three had joined forces to establish a kingdom. And among them, it was likely that the ancestor of Ferdium had been the one to watch over the Forest of Beasts from the closest distance.
As time passed, Ferdium had declined and eventually became a Margrave, responsible for defending the North.
This was the most plausible theory.
“…….”
"Then... what exactly were the Shadow Knights?"
— I do not know much either. Only that they were another ‘king’ of this nation...
— They chose to conceal their existence. They became the rulers of the kingdom’s night.
— Nothing remains, absolutely nothing. It is said that the people of that era deliberately erased all records.
Many records had been lost. Even Berhem, the former King of Ritania, had no clear knowledge of the Shadow Knights' true nature.
The masked woman had been incredibly strong. And since she was the Founder King’s companion, it wouldn’t have been difficult for her to become another ruler in her own right.
That was why the royal family had spent generations focused solely on weakening the Shadow Knights’ power.
— The Shadow Knights had no interest in power. They were solely dedicated to protecting the royal family.
“…….”
"As I thought... was it because of the Relic?"
I had speculated something similar before. The royal family had desperately tried to hide the Relic, while the Shadow Knights had seemed intent on guarding it.
There were still many unanswered questions. But unlike before, he could no longer simply ignore them.
If the rumors about the Adversary's resurrection were true, then he would inevitably have to fight him.
Even so, Ghislain didn’t feel impatient. Through these dreams, he was slowly uncovering the truth, learning and growing.
There were still hidden aspects, things he wasn’t meant to know yet. It felt like they were being deliberately kept from him.
So he simply had to wait, patiently.
“…….”
"In any case, this means our family was deeply connected to the war that took place a thousand years ago."
Unraveling the secrets of Ferdium was a major discovery. He had even found the family’s lost martial arts.
Zwalter would be thrilled once he learned about this. But once again, explaining how he had found it would be a challenge.
“…….”
"Hmm... I'll be modifying it anyway. I might as well just say that I figured it out myself."
“As always, I could just gloss over the details.”
After all, no one had more information than he did.
There was no one who could question him.
Right now, the most important thing was the Forest of Beasts.
It was far more significant than he had initially thought. He had a feeling that all the secrets lay within that place, the one once called the Demonic Abyss.
"At first, I only got involved because I wanted to make money quickly..."
Who would have thought it was such an important location?
“Now, I finally understand why the Duke of Delfine had been so desperate in my past life and why they had attempted to pioneer the forest at the cost of countless sacrifices.”
The Forest of Beasts was, in truth, their sacred land. It was where the Demon God’s corpse lay. It was also the source of power that the Salvation Church wielded.
Of course, there were likely other motives as well. But even with what I had uncovered so far, it was a relief to finally have some answers.
He had always suspected that the Duke’s household had an obsession with the Forest of Beasts, both in my past life and now.
However, he had never known the exact reason why.
"Come to think of it... was that what the marking meant?"
On a map he had obtained in his previous life, the center of the Forest of Beasts had been blacked out.
At the time, he had assumed it meant that the area was barren, lacking any resources or simply an uncharted territory.
Later, after learning of the Duke’s schemes, he had begun to suspect that something significant had been hidden there.
“And now, I finally have an idea.”
It hadn’t been blacked out because there was nothing there.
It wasn’t carelessly marked because it was unimportant.
"That place... it must be the most crucial location to them. Perhaps the Demon God’s corpse really is there."
“To be honest, I didn’t actually believe that a god’s corpse existed.”
It was more likely a metaphor, or perhaps just an outright fabrication.
But regardless of what it truly was, one thing was certain: the Salvation Church considered something in that place to be of utmost importance.
"We need to finish pioneering the Forest of Beasts."
It was different from the first time he had begun developing the forest.
Now, he had the strongest army on the continent, an army filled with Transcendents and High-Ranking Knights.
Stronger than the forces the Duke of Delfine had led in my previous life.
And on top of that, I had access to the records I had seen back then.
As long as we made the proper preparations, we could wipe them out in an instant.
All that remained was to finish the dragon hunt safely.
He carefully went over everything he had learned once more.
There were still many missing pieces.
But if hecontinued to unravel these secrets step by step, he would get there.
He felt confident that the Saintess’s dream would guide him.
‘The decisions would be mine to make.’
‘But the dreams would show me which paths I could take.’
However, there was one thing that continued to weigh on my mind.
"The Hero’s companions worked together to establish Ritania.
The Founder King, the Shadow Knights, and Ferdium."
There was something about this that didn’t match what I had known before.
Within that group...
There was an outsider, someone completely out of place.
Someone who didn’t belong.
Berhem had clearly stated:
"It was one of the three families that founded the kingdom!"
But in the ‘three families’ he had mentioned, Ferdium was absent.
"The Founder King, the Shadow Knights' Commander’s family, and the Duke of Delfine’s household founded this kingdom together! The three families agreed to share equal authority!"
Ferdium, which should have belonged in that statement, was missing replaced by the Duke of Delfine’s household.
"That is why the rank of Duke was permitted only to the Duke of Delfine’s household in this kingdom. And the ducal house held the authority to overthrow the royal family whenever necessary!"
If Ghislaine’s theory was correct, then the authority that should have belonged to Ferdium had been stolen by the Duke of Delfine.
As that realization struck him, Ghislaine’s eyes narrowed.
"The Duke of Delfine... just what are they?"
* * *
A frail old man wiped the blood off his gloves.
Before him lay dozens of corpses.
There were no signs of resistance or struggle.
The wounds weren’t even large. Just small cuts precise and fatal on their necks or hearts.
Anyone could tell at a glance.
They had been massacred in an instant.
As the old man absentmindedly wiped his hands clean, a group of people arrived.
He bowed respectfully.
"It is a humble place, but please, rest comfortably, Your Highness."
The old man was the Head Steward of the Duke of Delfine’s household, the same man who had accompanied Ernhardt.
Ernhardt smiled gently.
"How long will you continue to call me that?"
The old steward remained unwavering.
"To me, you are the only one worthy of that title, Your Highness."
At those words, Ernhardt let out a hearty laugh.
This old man’s loyalty had never wavered.
"Well, who could ever change your stubborn mind? But was there really a need for you to handle this personally? You could have simply sent the knights."
Surrounding Ernhardt were twenty knights.
Knights who had once sworn to protect the Duke of Leinster but in truth, they were Temple Knights of the Salvation Church.
They did not follow the Duke of Leinster.
They followed Gartros, the priest of the Church.
That was why, when the Duke of Leinster had died, they had not lifted a single finger.
At Ernhardt’s question, the old man slightly lowered his head.
"Have I not always tended to Your Highness’s chambers? It is only natural that I handle this myself."
Hearing that, Ernhardt simply smiled.
To him, this old steward was more of a father than his real parents.
From childhood, this man had been by his side, caring for him with unwavering devotion.
The old man had always personally ensured that Ernhardt’s sleeping quarters were in perfect condition.
And even now, Ernhardt could not bring himself to argue against that stubbornness.
"Yes, yes. You’ve always been like this. But don’t overexert yourself you’re not young anymore. You need to stay by my side for a long time."
"I shall keep that in mind, Your Highness."
Ernhardt’s gaze toward the old man was warmer than usual.
It was an uncharacteristic look for someone who had slaughtered his own relatives, his distant kin, cousins, wife and children.
"I do not wish to claim complete freedom just yet."
At Ernhardt’s words, the old man bowed his head even deeper.
They were deep within the mountains inside an abandoned bandit hideout.
Judging by the wooden palisades and the well-built log houses, the bandits must have been quite an organized force.
Only Ernhardt, Gartros, and the old steward entered the largest and sturdiest building among them.
The rest of the knights stood guard or surveyed the surroundings.
As Ernhardt took a seat, the old man had already prepared a cup of tea.
His readiness was impeccable, as always.
Ernhardt accepted the tea as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Despite being fugitives, on the run from the United Human Army, they exuded an air of complete leisure.
Savoring his tea, Ernhardt turned to Gartros and asked,
"What’s next on the agenda?"
Gartros responded without hesitation.
"The news of our defeat has already spread everywhere. Once we reach the sanctuary, the surviving priests will find their way to us."
"I see."
At the far western end of the continent, there lay a quiet village.
It was the last remaining sanctuary of the Salvation Church.
The surviving High Priests would instinctively gather there.
Unfortunately, not all believers knew of its existence.
Only those whose families had followed the Salvation Church for generations those with the deepest faith had been entrusted with that knowledge.
Thus, only a small number would make it there.
As Ernhardt continued drinking his tea with unshaken composure, Gartros hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking,
"Have more of your memories returned?"
"Yes. Little by little, they are seeping in. The memories of a thousand years ago."
"That is a relief."
"But understand this: those memories are not me. They are merely knowledge and power passed down, carefully arranged over countless years."
Gartros fell silent.
"I am myself. And I will walk my own path. Do not forget that, Gartros."
"...I will keep that in mind."
A flicker of unease crossed Gartros’s face.
Ernhardt was an essential figure in the Church.
He had been painstakingly discovered through years of researching and interpreting the ancient scriptures and oral traditions.
It had taken great effort to awaken him to his mission.
And yet, even after realizing his role, he remained unnervingly calm.
Unlike them, he showed no sense of urgency.
Worse, he often made statements that denied his own identity.
As the one meant to lead the revival of the Church and find their King, Ernhardt’s attitude was nothing short of agonizing for Gartros.
Setting down his teacup, Ernhardt asked,
"We attempted to accelerate the plan, but instead, everything fell apart.
That means we have no choice but to follow the natural course of events.
The King’s arrangements were written in the scriptures, were they not?
What is the next omen?"
Gartros pulled out an extremely worn book from his coat. With a reverent expression, he carefully turned the pages.
Soon, his gaze halted on a particular page, and he spoke.
“The White Dragon of the End shall reveal itself. With its emergence, the resurrection of the King will be hastened.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Ernhardt nodded indifferently.
He recalled the painting that hung in his stronghold, Eclipse.
It depicted a grotesque beast, a fusion of dragon and serpent, trampling and devouring people.
After experiencing a prophetic dream, he had commissioned a skilled painter to recreate the vision.
Ernhardt had enjoyed admiring that painting. It was, after all, closely related to him.
On the day his fortress fell, the Fenris forces must have seen it as well. But could they have connected it to the events that would unfold?
Impossible. That future was something only he knew.
As his thoughts drifted back to the dream, Ernhardt found himself questioning something anew.
“How could a predetermined future change?”
He never doubted his dream. It was divine revelation. Everything had been unfolding exactly as foretold.
And yet, at some point, it changed.
What in the world had happened?
Were humans truly capable of altering the future?
Ernhardt murmured to himself.
“The King and we have made many preparations. We cast the dragon down from the heavens, crushed the elves and dwarves, concealed the truth, and blinded humanity to it.”
Everything had been perfect. All that remained was to await the promised day.
It was already decided. It was prophecy.
Yet, somehow, everything had twisted into chaos.
And it was all because of a single person.
“The Duke of Fenris.”
The demon that appeared in his dream had upended everything. He still couldn’t believe that man had the power to change a preordained future.
“You definitely know something. That’s not how an ordinary person would react.”
When Ernhardt spoke of his dreams, the Duke of Fenris accepted them without question.
As if he already knew something.
That was why Ernhardt couldn’t help but wonder.
“Duke of Fenris… what exactly are you?”
He had pondered that question endlessly, yet no answer emerged. How could a mere human overthrow the will of the gods?
Ernhardt looked down at his own hand.
Crackle.
A surge of black energy gathered briefly before dissipating. Was it because the King had not yet revived? It seemed he needed more time.
Time to fully awaken the power of the Apostle.