Alton Drake felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
A feeling that one of the gears had slipped out of place.
And it was by no means an empty intuition.
―Duke Drake.
A voice came from the crystal orb.
It was someone from the Valerian Family of the Kingdom of Asel.
“What is it?”
―Have you heard the news? Duke Antonio’s territory was burned down a short while ago.
“Duke Antonio’s territory was……?”
Surprise entered Alton’s eyes.
The duchy had burned?
That should have been impossible.
“Who did it?”
―According to witnesses, it was a Red Dragon.
“A Red Dragon……?”
A dragon had suddenly attacked the duchy?
And Duke Antonio’s territory at that, which lay within a Black Dragon’s sphere of influence?
“What about the head of the Antonio Family? What happened to him?”
―His whereabouts are unknown. He may even have been burned away by the Breath.
Duke Antonio, one of the Eight Great Families and a man who wielded tremendous power within the Bellion Kingdom, might be dead?
It was unfortunate news for Alton.
He was about to lose a capable subordinate.
―However, we have heard something strange.
“What sort of news?”
―Despite the duchy being burned, there was not a single casualty.
“No casualties?”
Considering the devastated state of the duchy, there should naturally have been thousands of deaths.
It made no sense.
“Did they evacuate beforehand?”
―Indeed. We secured testimony stating that Duke Antonio evacuated everyone before the Breath attack.
A puzzled expression appeared on Alton’s face.
‘If he evacuated them beforehand, then he knew the attack was coming…… Why didn’t Antonio report any of this to me?’
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t understand.
‘Whatever happened, I need to find Antonio.’
If he found Antonio, whose fate was still unknown, he should be able to uncover a clue.
***
The family head, Lorenzo Antonio, was unable to hide his shock at the situation before him.
“This can’t be…… M-my duchy…….”
The land before him had become a sea of fire.
Pitch-black smoke rose from all directions, and the buildings stood with only their frames remaining, looking ready to collapse at any moment.
“Who…… Who the hell did this?!”
Lorenzo had been standing beside Kain when he gave Camiloas the order.
But having only just been released from Mind Domination, he had no way of knowing that.
By the time he came to his senses, his duchy had already become a sea of flames.
He could only stand there in stunned disbelief.
THUD—
Lorenzo dropped to his knees and stared hollowly at the scorched earth.
“It’s over…… My family is finished…….”
He thought he had lost everything.
But he didn’t know.
There was still more left for him to lose.
***
“What? Duke Antonio’s territory?”
Adriel, now called the King of Asel, asked again with undisguised surprise.
“Who did it? And why?”
“According to witnesses, it was the work of a Red Dragon.”
“A dragon? Why would a dragon do that?”
“This servant does not know that much…….”
The retainer, who had merely delivered the report and knew nothing of the circumstances behind it, lowered his head.
“Huh…… You really do see everything.”
From Adriel’s perspective, it wasn’t necessarily bad news.
Duke Antonio’s territory belonged to the Bellion Kingdom.
Hadn’t the incident weakened an enemy nation, even if only slightly?
“I don’t know which dragon it was, but I suppose I should be grateful.”
“There is one more matter to report, Your Majesty.”
“What is it?”
“Her Highness Princess Serena has been unwell.”
“My sister?”
Adriel had only one older sister.
Serena.
He was still busy after having only recently ascended the throne, so he had kept his distance as much as possible, but she was his only blood relative.
He couldn’t simply ignore it.
“What is wrong with her?”
“She has been experiencing trembling in her hands and feet. However, after taking medicine prepared by Young Master Kain, her condition has improved considerably.”
“Oh…… Is that so? Young Master Kain?”
This time, Adriel hadn’t forgotten Kain’s name.
After Kain had helped expose the Ragnar Family, Adriel had even bestowed a reward upon him.
There was no reason he wouldn’t remember.
“In the end, only a son truly looks after his mother. And where did he even learn how to prepare medicine?”
“He recently went outside the palace. This servant believes he may have gone to obtain the medicinal formula.”
“What a devoted son.”
Pride welled within Adriel, and he suddenly found himself wanting to meet Kain.
“I should go see him instead of sitting here.”
“Where are you going, Your Majesty……?”
“Young Master Kain. I’ll meet him while I’m at it and visit my sister as well.”
***
At that moment—
Kain had just finished meditating in his room.
‘Whew. I’ve reached 5-Star now.’
He had reached the same level as Walter, an Intermediate Sword Expert.
Reaching 5-Star at only twenty years old was already nothing short of miraculous.
Any knight order would undoubtedly call him a genius.
‘I can’t focus on only one heart. I need to take care of the other one too.’
Only when both hearts had reached similar levels could he display the true power of a Magic Swordsman.
He was currently at the Fourth Circle, which meant he needed to develop it to the Fifth Circle before he could properly manifest that power.
The Magic Swordsman’s secret art.
Imbuing Aura with mana and unleashing it.
With that, even at 5-Star, he could produce power comparable to 7-Star.
That was also why he had been unable to display his true strength when Valensius pierced one of his hearts.
‘If both my hearts had been intact, I wouldn’t have fallen so helplessly before Arkadion.’
He could at least have taken one of Arkadion’s eyes with him.
But Kain wouldn’t have been satisfied with that.
‘I need to surpass the level I reached in my previous life and gather every relic to become even stronger.’
For that reason, whenever Kain had spare time, he sat cross-legged and absorbed mana.
This time, he closed the pathways leading to his Aura and opened the ones leading toward his Circles.
If he wanted to stop relying on the Mana Amplification Necklace, he had to reach the Fifth Circle.
‘By now, the Bellion Kingdom must be in chaos.’
Duke Antonio’s territory had fallen.
And the culprit was obvious.
Red Dragon Camiloas.
The dragon-worshipping faction would try to find both Camiloas and Lorenzo Antonio to determine what had happened.
But—
‘Even if they find Lorenzo, they won’t get anything from him.’
As long as Lorenzo himself couldn’t remember, there was nothing they could learn from him.
It would only deepen the confusion.
‘And that’s exactly what I want. Confusion.’
If everything went according to plan, Kain would be able to profit with ease.
As he smiled, his sharpened senses detected several presences nearby.
‘Who is it?’
Kain left his room to check.
And his eyes widened.
A man was approaching with several escort knights.
‘First Prince Adriel Asel.’
Now the king, Adriel, had come here personally.
‘I remember what kind of king Adriel was.’
Unlike the previous king, he had always put his people first.
He had tried not to be manipulated by the dragon-worshipping faction.
But in the end, he had been poisoned by that very faction.
A tragic king.
‘I won’t let him die that way in this life.’
While Kain sorted through his thoughts, Adriel spoke first.
“So you are Young Master Kain.”
Adriel recognized him the moment he saw him.
The child Serena had given birth to shortly after fleeing the palace twenty years ago.
A royal who resembled his mother, Serena.
And Adriel’s nephew.
“It is good to meet you.”
When the king extended his hand, Kain dropped to one knee and respectfully received it.
This was the king who had tried to care for his mother until the very end in his previous life.
Kain remembered that he had strengthened the palace security and bestowed a useful treasured sword upon him as well.
How could he not be grateful?
“It is an honor to stand before the King of Asel.”
“Haha. Even though you grew up in the countryside, you learned your manners.”
Adriel helped Kain to his feet and asked,
“I hear you were also the one who improved my sister’s condition?”
“I merely happened to obtain a medicinal formula.”
“How modest. I like that.”
Adriel looked at Kain with gentle eyes.
“Take good care of my sister. I’m too busy to visit her often, so I’m grateful that you’re doing it in my place.”
“Your words are more than I deserve.”
“No. I mean it.”
After thinking for a moment, Adriel continued.
“Is there anything you need? If there is something I can do for my nephew as king, tell me.”
‘Here it is.’
Kain inwardly weighed the opportunity.
But not yet.
“For now, being by my mother’s side is enough.”
“Hah. You really are a devoted son.”
A satisfied smile spread across Adriel’s face.
“Very well. But remember this. If you ever need anything, tell me whenever you like. We share the same blood.”
“……Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“You can call me Uncle.”
Kain hesitated briefly before lowering his head.
“……Understood, Uncle.”
“That sounds nice!”
With a pleased expression, Adriel walked toward Serena’s room.
Left alone, Kain’s eyes calmly settled.
‘He’s a good man.’
He had been the same in Kain’s previous life.
A kind king until the very end.
And that was why he died.
‘I’ll protect him this time.’
If Kain wanted to protect his mother, he had to keep his uncle alive as well.
Fortunately, he knew who had poisoned the king.
‘The Valerian Family of the Kingdom of Asel. I need to stop those bastards.’
But the poisoning was still far in the future.
‘For now, I’ll deal with what’s right in front of me.’
Kain turned his gaze toward the window.
By now, the Bellion Kingdom should be in turmoil.
As should the dragon-worshipping faction.
All because of Camiloas, who had burned the duchy, and Lorenzo, who had lost his memories.
‘The rumors will spread soon.’
Rumors that the Antonio Family commanded dragons.
Cracks would begin forming between the dragon-worshipping families.
‘Next is Bellacors.’
The corner of Kain’s mouth rose.
Making dragons fight one another wasn’t as difficult as one might think.
Prideful bastards like them only needed one thing.
‘A justification.’
And Kain had already prepared one.
***
The ruined territory of Duke Antonio.
A shadow fell across Lorenzo, who sat amid the ashes.
“So this is where you were, Duke Antonio.”
It was a subordinate of the Drake Family.
“Duke Drake sent me. He wishes to know exactly what happened.”
“I-I don’t know either…… When I came to my senses, everything was already…….”
“You do not know?”
The subordinate’s eyes sharpened.
“Witnesses say they saw a Red Dragon. In your territory, Duke. Explain yourself.”
“A Red Dragon…….”
Lorenzo’s eyes trembled.
Red scales flashed through his hazy memories.
“It was…… Lord Camiloas.”
“What?”
The subordinate’s expression hardened.
“Why would Lord Camiloas burn your territory?”
“I-I do not know that either…….”
Lorenzo clutched his head.
He couldn’t remember.
Why Camiloas had become angry.
Why the duchy had burned.
Nothing.
“Do you truly remember nothing?”
“I swear…… I cannot remember…….”
“What is the last thing you do remember?”
“My last memory is…….”
Dario had brought a servant with him.
Come to think of it, where was Dario?
“H-have you perhaps seen my son, Dario?”
“…….”
“I asked if you know where my son went.”
The subordinate stared silently at Lorenzo for a long moment before gesturing.
“Come with me. This sounds like something Duke Drake should hear from you personally.”
“D-Duke Drake……?”
Lorenzo’s face went deathly pale.