The next morning, Rael was already deeply entrenched in the guild’s private library, meticulously scanning through heavy, dust-covered texts detailing the history of the continent.
According to the records, the current empire was founded exactly 1489 years ago. Its towering foundations rested upon two absolute pillars of power: the Valeria Royal Family and the Holy Church. Together, these two factions had maintained an ironclad rule, expanding the nation into a massive, prosperous empire.
However, the most intriguing piece of information Rael uncovered was the Church’s ultimate trump card for maintaining absolute peace. Whenever a catastrophic disaster struck the nation, the Church would perform a grand, ancient summoning ritual to call forth a legendary 'Hero' from another world. These summoned champions would inevitably possess overwhelming power, guiding the empire through the darkness and making the nation great once more.
The empire's greatest existential threat lay far to the northeast, where the jagged borders of the Demon King’s territory resided. Before it evolved into the peaceful, prosperous trading town it was today, Greenvale had originally been constructed as a heavily fortified frontline fortress town designed solely to hold back the brutal, relentless demon rampages.
Eventually, the last Demon King was forcefully struck down by the previous summoned hero, a man named Kael. Wielding the fabled Moonlight Sword, Kael had cleaved through the demonic forces with terrifying ease. Rael noted that every summoned hero historical text mentioned seemed to possess a fundamentally different, unique power a divine 'gift' bestowed upon them the exact moment they were summoned by Goddess Vale.
Thanks to Hero Kael, the empire had finally gained lasting peace. Yet, a bizarre anomaly plagued the history books: without fail, the Demon King would magically reincarnate every 100 years. And every single time the dark lord revived, the Church and the Valeria Empire would simply repeat the cycle, summoning a brand-new hero from another world to reset the board.
"Huh... a mandatory hundred year respawn timer? What is this nonsense?" Rael muttered to himself, his lips curling into a cynical, amused smirk. "What an absolute joke. Is this world's history just running on a repeated loop?"
His eyes narrowed as he turned the page, his gaze locking onto a specific name printed in gold ink. His expression grew deathly serious.
'Goddess Vale, huh...?' Rael thought, his mind racing. 'Vale... hmm maybe just my imagination'
Before he could dive deeper into his theories, Vhal’Zar sitting silently across from him in his impeccably handsome human disguise subtly leaned forward. His sharp, blue-ringed eyes darted toward the library's arched entrance.
"Master," Vhal'Zar whispered in a low, muted baritone. "The Saint... she has already arrived."
Rael’s serious expression melted away, replaced by a cold, confident smirk as he slowly closed the ancient tome. "Great. Let’s have a little chat."
Solenne approached their table entirely alone this time, having left her personal Royal Guards stationed outside the library. She offered them a deeply respectful, solemn bow.
"Greetings, gentlemen. Please, pardon my sudden intrusion," she greeted them, her voice soft and polite.
Rael maintained his easygoing smile, gesturing toward the empty wooden chair across from him. "Ah, it's quite alright. Please, come sit." Once she took her seat, Rael leaned back and crossed his arms, his golden eyes locking onto hers. "So... what business does the Radiant Saint have with us for the second time today?"
Solenne drew a quiet breath, attempting to steady her nerves before breaking the heavy silence. "Firstly... I deeply wish to apologize. I know your sleep last night was disturbed because of my reckless actions. The assassin who infiltrated your window... was sent by me."
The moment the words left her mouth, Vhal’Zar’s human face contorted with instant, explosive fury. His knuckles turned white as he braced his hands against the table, ready to tear the library apart. However, before the ancient undead could act, Rael calmly raised a single hand, signaling his servant to stand down.
Suppressing his guardian's bloodlust, Rael looked back at the Saint. Solenne swallowed hard, continuing her explanation. "Secondly, to prove that my apology is genuine, I want to be entirely transparent about my purpose here with you both."
Rael remained perfectly calm. He respected the fact that she had come here alone, knowing fully well that they possessed the strength to easily crush her. Walking into a den of monsters empty-handed and openly admitting her faults took a massive amount of courage.
"Go on," Rael smiled faintly. "What is it?"
Solenne lowered her gaze to the table, her hands tightening slightly over her white robes. "As the Saint, I was chosen directly by Goddess Vale. She is our supreme deity and the absolute foundation of the Valeria Empire. Whenever a great disaster, a deadly plague, or a massive monster horde is about to strike our lands, she always bestows an oracle upon me so we can protect the peace. But this time... it was different."
She looked up, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and fear. "For the first time in history, our Goddess delivered a warning about a mysterious, colossal mana signature that could threaten the very existence of our empire. And for the first time... she cannot foresee what it is, or what it wants."
Hearing this, Rael finally understood the puzzle. It completely explained why she had rushed to this border town in such a panic and resorted to sending nocturnal scouts. To the Holy Church, his and Vhal'Zar's sudden, unregistered appearance made them prime suspects for this "existential threat."
"My ultimate wish," Solenne continued, her voice pleading, "is to escort you both back to the Holy Grand Capital, where our Goddess’s divine influence is at its absolute peak."
Rael tapped his finger on the table, summarizing her request. "So, the conclusion is that your Goddess needs to identify the anomaly threatening your empire... But tell me, Your Highness, how do you know for sure that we are that specific threat?"
Solenne flinched, looking visibly nervous. "U-Umm..."
Rael pressed on, his voice dropping into a smooth, teasing tone. "What happens if we travel all the way there, only to find out we aren't the ones your Goddess mentioned? What happens to our wasted time?"
Panic flashed across the Saint's face, and she quickly leaned forward. "I... I will take full financial and political responsibility for your time! I swear it!"
Rael stared at her trembling form for a long second. He let out a dramatic, weary sigh, though internally, he was secretly celebrating the perfect opportunity handed to him. "Haaaah... alright, then. If you insist so fiercely, we will accept your invitation."
Solenne’s face instantly lit up with immense, breathless relief. "Ah! Thank you so-"
"But," Rael interrupted, raising a finger to halt her excitement. "We have a condition. We refuse to travel straight to the Holy Grand Capital. Instead, we want to take our time. We will stay in every single town we pass along the highway for exactly one day before moving to the next, making our way to the Capital slowly. Do you agree to this condition?"
Solenne blinked, completely confused by the bizarre request. "Why... why would you want to do that?"
Wearing a perfectly relaxed, carefree expression, Rael shrugged. "Well, I’ve spent my whole life cooped up. Now, I want to experience the local culture and taste the unique delicacies of every town on the continent. I'm sure every place has its own charm."
Hearing his unexpectedly wholesome and mundane reason, Solenne couldn't help but let out a soft, genuine chuckle. "Hahaha... Understood. Then it is a deal, Mister Rael, Mister Vhal'Zar. If you will allow it, please let me accompany you both as your guide for this journey."
Extending her graceful, pale hand toward Rael, the Saint offered a gentle smile. "Ah, where are my manners? My name is Solenne the Radiant."
Rael smiled back, gently shaking her hand. "My name is Rael. Rael Voss. And this guy beside me is Vhal’Zar."
Hearing his name mentioned, Vhal'Zar merely crossed his arms and glared down at the Saint with blatant, unyielding hostility, letting out a sharp, irritated "Hmph."
Solenne could only offer a slightly awkward, sweating smile in response. "Haha... it is a pleasure to meet you both."
"So, we will depart tomorrow morning, if that is alright with you, Solenne?" Rael asked smoothly.
With a warm, accommodating nod, the Saint replied, "Yes, that is perfectly fine with me. I will have the carriages prepared."
After Solenne bid them farewell and exited the library, Rael and Vhal’Zar remained at their secluded table, continuing to gather historical information. Once the library was entirely quiet again, Vhal’Zar leaned in closer, his brow furrowing.
"Master... is it truly alright to allow that lesser being to travel alongside us?" Vhal'Zar questioned softly.
Rael chuckled, a playful glint appearing in his golden eyes. "What's the matter? Is it because you can't handle the holy aura she constantly emits? Is it reacting poorly with your undead element?"
Vhal’Zar paused, then burst into a low, rumbling laugh. "Hahaha! Please, Master. Her meager holy energy isn't even a fraction of what it would take to make me kneel. Khahaha!"
Rael’s smile softened as the laughter died down. "Then it's all good. Besides... the real reason I want to take this journey slowly is because I want to truly experience and enjoy this world. My previous life in my old world was incredibly gray, stagnant, and boring. This time, I want to live it to the fullest."
Closing the heavy historical tome with a soft thud, Rael turned his head to look directly at Vhal’Zar. He reached out, gently tapping the ancient Lich King’s armored shoulder with a serious, deeply genuine expression.
"Will you accompany me to explore the rest of this world, Vhal’Zar?"
At that exact moment, the cold, menacing facade of the Undead King completely melted away. Hearing his master ask for his companionship, not as a mere disposable tool or a weapon of war, but as a genuine partner to walk beside him, Vhal'Zar was instantly overwhelmed with profound, breathless happiness. His eyes flared with a fierce, absolute joy.
"Of course, Master!" Vhal’Zar replied, his voice thick with unshakeable devotion and overwhelming pride. "How could I ever reject something so extraordinary? My life is yours."
Smiling at his guardian's explosive enthusiasm, Rael opened the book once more, quietly immersing himself back into the ancient lore of Valeria as the peaceful afternoon drifted by.