Adeline’s quarters were different from the other tents. The size inside matched what could be seen from outside. For so reason, it was an ordinary tent untouched by spatial magic.
In the front chamber stood a round table large enough for several people to sit around. Beyond a curtain seed to be a private inner room.
Three Rebel executives, two representatives of the Dravergh Clan, and one human.
With a total of six people seated around the round table, the eting began. Theo, acting as the Rebels’ strategist, led the discussion.
“Then let’s continue the explanation we couldn’t finish yesterday. King Laskar is currently researching forbidden magic.”
All eyes gathered on Theo as he stood and spoke with practiced familiarity. At the words “forbidden magic,” Varen and Morpha both narrowed their brows.
“The first is the complete brainwashing and control of monsters. However, as those here already know, it’s still incomplete. They succeeded in controlling consciousness and increasing attack power, but the subjects can’t understand their master’s commands.”
I let out a low groan and held my chin.
When we were trapped in Zed’s tower, Varen lost consciousness and burned the forest, and Ella tried to attack everyone she encountered.
As if recalling the sa mory, Varen clenched his fist and his eyes glead. I noticed Noance idly twirling his baton and grabbed Varen’s hand.
Only after confirming Varen had cald did Theo continue.
“The second is the creation of an army of death.”
At the figurative expression, I slightly raised my hand. Theo nodded, granting permission to speak.
“What do you an by an army of death? A powerful army that can kill everyone?”
“No. An army that has overco death.”
“Then what does that—”
“Simply put, it ans creating an army that doesn’t die even after dying. We’d be fighting things like corpses.”
An army that doesn’t die even after death. And corpse-like beings.
As the two expressions connected, one person’s face surfaced in my mind.
Yellow hair that chased even in a corpse’s body, unable to die even when it wanted to.
I clamped my mouth shut, face drained of color. My heart pounded wildly, and it felt as if all the blood was leaving my body.
Everyone in the tent stared at my reaction. But I couldn’t et anyone’s eyes.
“Ceryl, are you alright? Ceryl, Ceryl!”
Only after Varen grabbed both my shoulders and shook did I snap out of the shock. I wiped my soaked forehead with my hand and clasped my trembling hands together.
Then Adeline, who had been quietly observing , spoke.
“Seems you’ve seen it before. The army of death.”
Cold sweat ran past my temples and dripped beneath my chin. My jaw kept shaking, so instead of words only my teeth clattered.
Varen looked at with a face full of worry. His hot hands kneaded my shoulder and hand, trying to calm sohow.
I barely turned my stiff neck to face him. Then I forced out the na of the thorn lodged deep in my chest.
“Leobin....”
“.......”
“D-dead but not dying... a corpse’s... body....”
As if a faded mory finally lit up, Varen slightly parted his lips. He looked shocked as well, though less than .
“What are you saying? You’ve already seen the army of death?”
Theo leaned over the table with both hands, sounding frustrated. I needed to explain, but reason had already been swept away by a flood of emotion.
So Varen spoke calmly in my place.
“Yes. We saw it in the forest.”
“That’s impossible. Even King Laskar hasn’t succeeded in that experint yet.”
“A man with a body that was clearly dead chased us. Bones protruding, throat torn open, an arrow lodged in his neck, but he didn’t die. More precisely, he couldn’t die.”
“...Who on earth succeeded in such a horrifying experint?”
This ti Varen couldn’t answer easily. Instead, he looked at with bitter eyes.
Everyone in the tent focused on again. Their gazes urged to speak.
I couldn’t bear to face the horrible reality with open eyes. I squeezed them shut and spoke in a dry voice.
“The Aylos... It happened in the House of Aylos.”
Even after giving the answer everyone waited for, silence fell over the tent. Each person seed lost in thought.
I desperately clung to my composure. I gathered scattered bits of information I knew about Leobin and tried to find a link between that and King Laskar.
But what I knew was pitifully shallow.
That Leobin liked sandwiches and was a pure person who rejoiced over trivial gifts. That he handled horses well but had no talent for fishing. That was all.
“It’s okay, Ceryl.”
Noticing my confusion, Varen tightened his grip on my hand. Just the dragon’s higher body temperature holding my hand ward my entire body.
Then Noance, who had remained silent until now, spoke.
“So we have to find Aylos. Funny how you say that like you’re not Aylos yourself.”
At his words I swallowed dryly. I emptied the cup Morpha handed in one gulp. Cold, clear water—probably from a stream—washed through my muddled head.
Keeping as calm as possible, I explained to Adeline.
“...I am Aylos, but I don’t know much about the House of Aylos. A few months ago I had an accident and lost all my previous mories.”
It was the false alibi I always gave whenever soone asked about my identity.
There was suspicion but no proof, so unless soone could sll lies or see through sincerity, it was difficult to challenge it.
Adeline nodded with the sa unchanged face. The way she let it pass without probing made uneasy.
Then Theo, who had been thinking deeply, let out a low sigh.
“Whether it’s King Laskar or the House of Aylos, succeeding in creating an army of death is a very bad sign for us. We already lack manpower terribly.”
“There’s no helping it. Who would volunteer for an army that can’t even provide als, let alone wages?”
Resting his chin on one hand, Noance answered in a mocking tone. Theo shot him a glare, but the Rebel leader only smiled gently.
I slowly inhaled and silently exhaled. Repeating quiet deep breaths, I tried to calm my pounding heart.
The truth behind the curse on Leobin still struck with shock. My head throbbed and my stomach churned, but having sat at this table without qualification, I couldn’t disrupt the eting.
As confusion stalled the ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) discussion, Morpha spoke.
“What Dravergh needs is information on the king. And I assu the Rebels are already prepared.”
Theo answered.
“We already have several spies active inside the palace. But accessing core information isn’t easy. All of King Laskar’s close aides co from the Council of Elders.”
Information I actually knew appeared for once.
The Council of Elders assisting King Laskar was the true power of the kingdom. The group consisted of six houses dividing the nation’s authority equally.
That ant the only way to approach the king was to win over one of those six houses. Not an ordinary mber, but soone important enough to et the king directly—or soone serving such a person.
“The easiest to approach is the Astan family. They amassed wealth through trade, so they don’t strongly guard against strangers coming and going.”
“Ease of approach is aningless. What matters is which house is closest to the king.”
“In that case... the Litmus family. They produce all of Alberian’s physicians and handle the king’s examinations. The only ones who can et him alone. But security is correspondingly strict, making access difficult.”
The Rebels really had spread their influence ahead of ti.
I tried to erase Leobin’s lingering image and recall the original story, but no matter how hard I tried, the na Litmus didn’t ring any mory.
Suddenly Morpha rose from the chair with a scraping sound, drawing everyone’s attention.
“My explanation wasn’t clear. What I need isn’t a spy to enter the royal palace. I need a stepping stone to approach the king.”
Smiling, Morpha instantly changed appearance. Where a tall man in his thirties had stood now stood a greasy middle-aged man with half-bald head and protruding belly.
Seeing Morpha’s ability for the first ti, Noance and Theo gaped and stepped back.
Even Adeline seed surprised this ti, the corners of her lips twitching slightly.
“If you build a bridge to approach the king, I will prepare the ga pieces myself.”
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