Chapter 161 – Control (3)
[Leader of Blyer (3)]
A new na had been added to the divine na registry.
Kal couldn’t see it himself, but he could feel the change. The glow emanating from the black sapphire of the Ring of Subjugation had grown even darker.
At the sight of it, Kal nodded.
"The vessel has expanded."
The divine na registry was not just a re record. Each entry carried unseen effects, which manifested as abilities for the owner of the divine na.
Acquiring an entry under the [Leader] category, much like the Mantle of the Dragon's Fang, amplified both dominance and presence. This signified that the capacity of the vessel for subjugation had increased.
"Let's go."
They had descended with three, but by the ti they ascended to the second floor, they were four.
A blood-covered knight—Wiley.
Expressionless, Wiley clung to Kal’s side. The mont he acknowledged Kal as his master, his [Guardian Instinct] seed to have activated.
Kal surveyed the berserkers locked in the second-floor prison.
"They’ll need armor to conceal their identities."
Unlike Wiley, whom he intended to present as a figurehead, the other knights were incapable of rational thought. Exposing them could lead to complications, so their identities needed to be hidden.
Rengua responded with a confident expression.
"It's already in production."
"Can no other shaman control the berserkers?"
"I’m the only one who can handle madness."
"Even with the Stone of Madness?"
"The stone only amplifies the effects. Control requires my staff."
"Then this stone has outlived its usefulness?"
"It’s still needed to trigger large-scale [Madness Explosion]."
"Then you should be the one to keep it."
"Indeed."
A small stone scattered murky light in irregular patterns.
The attendants who first transported it had all succumbed to insanity. It was said to be a cursed artifact, filled with the bitter resentnt of those consud by madness.
The only reason Kal remained unaffected was because of the necklace he wore—
A mysterious pendant of blue stone that bestowed blessings.
"If only we knew its original owner, we could understand its abilities in more detail."
It was one of the artifacts he had received in exchange for selling 'his' divine na. However, since divine na transactions in the black market were conducted with strict anonymity, identifying the original owner was impossible.
"Integrate the berserker unit under Rengua's command."
"You'll have the finest unit in no ti."
Rengua bowed, barely suppressing the grin threatening to split his face. He was already filled with excitent over what kind of enchantnts to engrave into the completed armor.
Glancing at Lyon, Kal saw his stiffened expression.
The power struggle that had already been tilting due to divine na awakenings had now widened even further.
"We'll proceed with the next plan imdiately. Wrap things up here as quickly as possible."
"Understood."
"I'll keep Wiley by my side. He won't be appearing in Etor anyway."
After giving Wiley his orders, Kal exited the underground prison, escorted by Rengua. The line of carts carrying corpses had grown even longer. It would take more ti to clean up this place.
On the way to the lord’s residence—
Lyon, who had been silently following behind, cautiously spoke.
"Um… aren't you giving Rengua too much power?"
"What are you worried about? You and Rengua have both already sworn loyalty under the Ring of Subjugation."
The first thing Kal had done upon acquiring the ring was to ensure the absolute loyalty of his closest subordinates.
Kal trusted no one.
The only thing he had faith in was the honest greed in people's hearts. Everything else was rely a tool for achieving that greed.
He saw through Lyon’s thoughts instantly.
The divine na holders—Rengua and Wiley.
Lyon was growing anxious.
"Do you want to beco the owner of a divine na?"
"...Forgive ."
"Your wish will be granted soon enough."
"...?"
"Do you not trust ?"
"Th-That would be blasphemy! Never!"
"There’s sothing I need you to do."
"Give any command!"
Shortly after, Lyon carried out Kal’s orders, selecting part of the royal guard and dispatching them to the Beneta border, where the Blyer forces were stationed.
"All the cavalry…?"
The command had been to withdraw all the cavalry, which ford a crucial part of the encirclent.
Lyon questioned his lord’s decision but did not ask why.
He would find out soon enough.
Returning to the lord’s residence, Kal summoned the baron’s retainers and administrators.
Those who had survived the Etor massacre and were working on rebuilding the city imdiately halted their tasks and gathered in the baron's chambers.
The room beca crowded with people.
Kal calmly sipped his tea amidst their gazes.
Gulp—
Perhaps due to the aura he exuded, or the fierce gaze of Lyon standing behind him, no one dared to speak until he set his cup down.
A heavy silence.
Then, he finally opened his mouth.
"I have found traces of Baron Tomzael."
"Wh-What!? Truly!?"
"Oh, gods!"
A trace of Etor’s lord had been discovered!
Excited murmurs and exclamations filled the room, but soon, all eyes turned back to Kal, their anticipation clear.
What they wanted to know most was whether their lord was alive or dead.
"His survival is uncertain. We may need to deploy the army for a search—"
"Of course! We must do it! Where? Where was his trace found?"
"Here."
Standing up, Kal pointed to a location on the map spread across the desk.
"...This place?"
"Isn't that… Laup Forest?"
Laup Forest was the shortest route leading toward Blyer. So reacted with confusion.
It was significantly closer to Blyer than to Etor.
"Why would the baron be all the way there…?"
"Traces of Commander Wiley were also found alongside his. If the commander is with him, there’s a higher chance they survived. We might also learn the fate of the knight order."
"T-The knights too?!"
"We must move the army imdiately!"
"I will issue the mobilization order at once!"
Kal, the savior of Etor, had spoken with certainty.
If they could confirm the survival of Baron Tomzael, Commander Wiley, and the knights, it didn’t matter where the traces were found—they had to dispatch a search party.
To them, Kal seed to shine with a divine glow.
Lifting his cup, he took another sip.
"Thank you for your trust."
His languid voice drew their attention.
The mark of enchantnt.
No one in that room doubted Kal’s words.
Two days later, a conscription order was issued throughout Etor. The elite soldiers working on the city's reconstruction began gathering at the northern gate one by one.
Despite the heavy casualties among regular soldiers due to the wildfire-like rampage of the berserkers, the elite troops before them remained largely intact.
Expensive armor.
Warhorses clad in steel.
Per Kal’s orders, the entire search unit was composed of elite cavalry.
A powerful cavalry force of three thousand—
"Follow ."
Under the command of Blyer’s new lord, Kal, they swiftly began their march toward Laup Forest.
Tadak, tadak, tadak—
Lyon, along with the royal guard, flanked Kal’s carriage for protection.
Behind them, the shaman unit followed for communication purposes, with thousands of Etor’s cavalry bringing up the rear.
As they all rode on horseback, their speed across the forest was unimpeded.
Inside the carriage, apart from Kal, sat another passenger—Arcane.
Through the open window, a gentle breeze blew in.
Silver-white hair swayed.
A blue sapphire earring glead under the sunlight.
Arcane gazed at the passing scenery in silence, as if on a leisurely stroll.
Kal observed him wordlessly.
Kal had been carefully monitoring Arcane’s every move since his arrival in Etor.
[Arcane is related to ‘The Blood-Drinking Chalice.’]
It could have been ‘his’ sche, but since the entity that had killed him had been ntioned, Kal couldn’t afford to ignore it.
He had assigned covert watchers to track Arcane, spent ti dining and conversing with him, all in an attempt to grasp the man’s true nature.
Yet—
"I still don’t understand him."
Arcane had no visible faction. No one attempted to approach him.
His personality was no different.
Kal, who could decipher a person’s thoughts at a glance, found himself unable to categorize Arcane.
The astrologer had witnessed the fall of Etor with his own eyes.
He had seen tens of thousands slaughtered at Kal’s re command, yet he neither condemned nor distanced himself.
All he did was request lodging and live quietly.
The only thing Kal had managed to confirm was—
Arcane had deep ties with the mage factions.
"Did you find your stay uncomfortable?"
"Not at all. It was quite comfortable."
"I heard you spent entire days in prayer."
"An astrologer’s divine inspiration cos from the gods. We must periodically listen to the voices of the heavens."
"And did you hear anything?"
Arcane’s thin eyes shifted toward Kal at that question. When Kal gave a slight nod, a rare ripple passed across his face.
A strange excitent.
"So, what did you hear?"
"Before that, you’ve undergone a change. I wish to see your divine na. Will you allow it?"
"By all ans."
A mysterious glow flared within the carriage.
Arcane removed his hand from his earring, revealing a faint smile.
Because he had just glimpsed Kal’s newly revealed divine na.
"You’ve been chosen as a leader."
"It hasn’t been long."
"Is it re coincidence, I wonder?"
Arcane pulled a piece of paper from his robe and handed it over.
Kal’s face hardened as he scanned the contents.
‘His’ divine na registry had changed.
[XXXXXX – Divine Na Hunter (XX)]
[XXXXXXX]
[The Siren’s Hymn]
[XXXXXX Heart]
[XXXX Guide]
[The Ring of Desire (XX)]
[Leader of Hunt [?]]
Most of the information remained veiled as before.
But two things had changed.
Among them, one detail stood out imdiately in connection to Arcane’s words.
"…Leader of Hunt."
"A newly revealed divine na."
"If ‘he’ has beco a leader, that ans there are at least three other divine na holders around him. That would an Lochter Felice and Karl Bastain are by his side, wouldn’t it?"
"There could be more. The minimum is three, after all."
Arcane’s vague wording pricked at Kal’s nerves.
The na of Lily Base, the Witch of Ordor Forest, surfaced in his mind.
No, she couldn’t have joined his ranks. The holand of the great witch was the depths of Ordor Forest.
The Millennium Tree was still intact.
If there was another possible candidate—
"Is Alex Marcia a divine na holder?"
"I won’t know until I see him in person."
"So you need to see him directly to get an answer?"
"The answer is given by the gods."
As always, Arcane evaded giving a definitive response.
Frowning slightly, Kal turned his attention to another na on the list.
A na Arcane had just highlighted.
"The Ring of Desire…"
Kal closed his eyes, lost in thought.
If it had made it onto the divine na registry, it must be a famous artifact, akin to the Ring of Subjugation. Yet he had never heard of it in his previous life.
Noticing his contemplation, Arcane asked,
"Do you know anything about the Ring of Desire?"
"No. I don’t."
"That makes it difficult. And this individual’s divine na…?"
"If new information is revealed, the truth will co to light eventually."
"You’ll need to find him first. That’s the reason I’m helping you."
"If I capture a mber of Hunt, I’ll know imdiately."
"I look forward to it."
Arcane turned his gaze back to the window. Was he pondering over ‘his’ divine na?
The astrologer had shown an unusual obsession with ‘his’ divine na and identity.
"Lyon."
Kal opened the carriage window and gave a signal. Lyon nodded slightly, and monts later, a shaman muttered an incantation into the communication orb.
It was a ssage for Rengua.
Another day passed.
Inside the rattling carriage, Kal had briefly dozed off. When he awoke, daylight had already broken.
The army under his command had marched tirelessly, through both night and day.
Looking at Arcane, Kal saw him sitting still with his eyes closed.
Whether he was sleeping or engaged in prayer was unclear.
Just as Kal reached to open the window and call for Lyon—
A commotion erupted behind them.
The cavalry units following them were one by one coming to a halt.
Monts later, an urgent shout rang out.
"O-Oh! It’s Sir Wiley!"
"Inform the front imdiately!"
Commander Wiley erged from the forest, staggering alone.
Still covered in blood, as if he had barely escaped a brutal encounter.
"…Lochter Felice."
The na spilled from Wiley’s lips in a low whisper.
He had just nad Lochter as the one responsible for Baron Tomzael’s death.
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