358 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Chapter 358 “The emperor demands that we either announce the subjugation of the Holy Kingdom or transfer the title of pope to the imperial emperor.” In a dark chamber, a voice draped in an even darker robe resonated heavily. [……That’s an unreasonable demand.] However, the voice of the elderly man responding through the communication device remained calm. “Yes. But Elder Gareth’s faction took things too far. If we don’t comply, the royal hunt will begin again.” [There are too many uncertainties with that incident… It feels tangled from the start.] The man in the black robe bit his lip at those words. Unlike himself, who was worried about the unexpected situation, the tower master seemed fixated on past events whose outcomes had already been settled. "Tower Master, I apologize, but now we need to focus on measures for the future rather than the past. We’ve already lost significant forces, and too much has been exposed to the world. If the hunt resumes, it will be disastrous." Many elders and elites had already abandoned their false identities and stepped forward to move the Holy Kingdom. The concerns of the man in the black robe were not exaggerated. [Disastrous? Indeed, it would be. Then do your best to stall for time. Meanwhile, I'll search for him in the Forest of Demons.] He knew well who “him” referred to and why he needed to be found. ‘But now is not the time for that!’ The black-robed figure felt frustrated that the tower's greatest power, the tower master, didn’t seem to grasp the gravity of the situation. "Tower Master, the Holy Sword and the artifact of the progenitor may be important, but right now…" [Even if I personally go to the Holy Kingdom, nothing will change.] “……Excuse me?” [It's impossible to confront the empire head-on now. Perhaps after our desires have been fulfilled. Even if we win skirmishes, we’ll eventually be crushed by their large forces. So we must stall for time.] “But the emperor has set a deadline. In just a month, the hunt could truly begin! If that happens, we might have to live in darkness for centuries again!” [I understand. But if we yield to such an absurd demand, we’ll lose all our leverage.] “……What do you mean?” [Using the pope to announce their subjugation? It would fall apart due to immediate backlash. But the Empire will use that as an excuse to suppress the Holy Kingdom. If the people oppose what the pope has acknowledged, it will serve as a perfect justification. Once that happens, the Empire and the Emperor will no longer need us.] “Do you mean…?” [The time to sail the same ship will come to an end. We have no choice but to delay. We must decide the outcome.] “Tower Master…” [We don’t know what the emperor might try. But hold out as long as possible, and escape with the Supreme's Bracelet. Leave the rest.] “Do you mean to abandon the elites already settled in the Holy Kingdom?” [Gather them if you can, but...] The unspoken understanding was clear to the man in the black robe. [Meanwhile, I will find the Holy Sword and gather three artifacts, including the one I possess, and prepare for war.] “Is war really coming?” [Yes. The empire has been quietly preparing for decades. Even the emperor can't stop it now. We’ll use the flames of war spreading across the continent.] “Does this mean the prophecy is truly…?” [It accelerates the era of gods’ departure and brings forth our god in their place. That is the only answer to realize all our dreams.] The elderly man's face was filled with conviction as he spoke those words. * * * “What’s this dog doing here?” Eillen, who had been secretly awaiting her husband's return, showed curiosity toward the silver-furred creature trailing Logan. With an exceptionally shiny coat and sparkling eyes, the pup had an undeniably cute appeal that drew attention. But her husband's answer was quite unexpected. “……Let’s call it a secret weapon.” “A dog?” “Woof!” Tyr barked irritably at Eillen’s continued reference to him as a dog. However, with a size that barely reached a person’s knee, his barking appeared more cute than intimidating. “Oh, how adorable.” “Snort.” Yet, when Eillen affectionately patted him, Tyr turned his head with a puff, seeming inexplicably pleased. ‘It seems it’s not just because of our contract.’ Recalling the contract made before leaving the Forest of Demons, Logan allowed himself a slight smile. A contract forged with the power of their shared desire. The reason the creature, freed from its seal by consuming the essence of its master, hadn’t yet left the Forest of Demons, and why no divine beasts remained in this world, was the same. The author who left the legacy of the divine sword, known as the Sword God, stated that divine beasts sustained themselves on the power of desire—essentially the worship of souls. However, as the mythological era ended, the power of desire continuously waned, and with the development of civilization, sentient beings stopped worshipping divine beasts. These two evolving trends hastened, even during the era of the Sword God, steering divine beasts toward extinction. ‘The creator intended for them to vanish after fulfilling their role at the end of the Iconic Age.’ Additionally, the Sword God wrote that they are pitiable creatures destined for inevitable extinction, deserving of care regardless of their utility. If his essence is inherited, carrying on the power of desire in a contract, it would be possible for Tyr to live out its natural lifespan. But circumstances deviated in unexpected ways. Most likely, neither the Sword God nor Tarun, gifted with prophetic skill, foresaw Tyr consuming the entirety of the essence. Simply put, Tyr as it stands now doesn’t need to form any contracts to sustain itself. Even so, Tyr chose to follow Logan and stepped into the world, forming an unfair contract solely to aid him. And perhaps the reason for that is… “You understand what I'm saying? Wow, you’re smart.” "Whimper." Eillen gently petted the creature, which leaned its head in closer to her touch. From the beginning, Logan had sensed its emotions faintly due to their shared bond of desire. Once the formal contract was established, he could fully understand the creature’s feelings. – I feel good. It’s warm. – It tickles my heart. And then there was another emotion. – ……I miss someone. “Woof!” Longing for someone from a distant past who wasn't present in this moment. Logan felt a pang in his chest as the depth of Tyr's emotions washed over him. "You've been lonely, haven’t you?" Perhaps he should’ve petted it a bit more on their way back. Feeling the warmth and melancholy from the creature, Logan reached out, intending to join Eillen in comforting it. Thud. "Huh?" But his hand was blocked. The creature stepped away, raising a paw to reject Logan’s touch. …So it wasn’t loneliness? “Snort.” As if to say, ‘But not from you.’ Ignoring Logan, who seemed a bit miffed, Tyr snuggled back against Eillen’s leg. Was it still sulking? Logan awkwardly froze, feeling a strange sense of emptiness and embarrassment as his hand lingered in the air. Watching this, Eillen burst out laughing. “Ahaha, it seems this little one prefers me over you.” “……Tyr.” “Yes?” Sighing lightly, Logan replied with a wry smile. “That’s his name, Tyr. And he’s not just a regular dog.” Logan explained to his wife the reason Tyr, the divine beast, was still sulking despite his best efforts to return promptly. “Wow. Is this little one really that strong?” Eillen found it hard to believe even after Logan’s thorough explanation. After all, Tyr, who had been endearingly affectionate, was now perched peacefully on Eillen’s lap, purring softly as he dozed off. Aside from the mystically luminous silver fur, Tyr looked like nothing more than a cute puppy. “I’m certain. Even I wouldn’t be able to predict the outcome if I had to fight him now.” “That much… Wow, Tyr, you’re quite an impressive creature.” Eillen realized Logan wasn’t joking and marveled as she gently stroked Tyr. Sitting placidly on her lap, his eyes shut, he seemed to smile contentedly. A divine beast that prefers his companion over his bonded partner. Logan felt simultaneously amazed and a bit let down, so he decided to change the topic. “Was everything alright while I was away? I prepped everyone quite thoroughly.” “Did you expect anything to happen? You took care of all the dangerous stuff.” At her words, delivered with a playful side-glance, Logan had nothing to say and sheepishly turned his head. The trip had lasted longer than he had initially expected, with more events than initially planned. Now wasn’t the time for excuses about obligations. Eillen, sighing softly, then transitioned to the news Logan had been anxious to hear. “Two fortresses have been completed, and soon, the magic circles will be installed there and at the three fortresses on the western front, including Kyle's.” “Already so much progress…” “The preparations you mentioned are almost done. It seems everyone is even more tense because of it.” ‘Everyone.’ Surely, she referred to the inner circle aware of the impending imperial invasion. A slight flush of Eillen’s face, from more than just the joy of their reunion, hinted at a shared tension encircling them all. Inhale. The shared anxiety was palpable as Logan’s heart raced in response. He took a deep breath and embraced his partner, who he had missed dearly. “Don’t worry. Everything will be alright.” “Yes, it must.” The tender pat on his back from his wife was comforting, yet her next comment was unexpected. “I’ve been alone here for months.” Pfft. Eillen's unexpected jest brought a burst of laughter from him. “Hahaha.” “Woof!” Tyr, vexed by the sudden noise above, awoke and barked, yet the laughter echoed throughout the deep recesses of the palace long after. * * * A few days after Logan's secretive return to the palace, Viktor, the missing bodyguard, returned to the royal castle, drenched in sweat. Snort. Thud. “Open the gates!” “Gasp.” “Sir Viktor!” “With loyalty!” As the guards recognized him and opened the gates, Viktor dismounted his foam-mouthed horse, sighing deeply. Initially, there was a pang of sympathy for the collapsing animal, but that sentiment had faded amidst the urgency. Riding nearly ten horses to death, fueled by unyielding stamina, had allowed him to accomplish the miracle of crossing the continent in just a fortnight. The only side effect was nearly ten kilograms in weight loss—an unbelievable feat, yet scarce anyone would believe it even if he told them. ‘Damn it.’ Yet Viktor found himself gripped not by triumph but by worries over the fate of the Saint and the looming events in the Holy Kingdom. He felt an intense powerlessness over his inability to influence these unfolding events. The legendary might shown to him by the divine sword a month earlier kept replaying in his mind. Now heading toward the Holy Capital... ‘If only I had been stronger, or even slightly comparable in might, I wouldn’t have let the Saint go like that…’ With every thought, his self-doubt deepened. “Is His Majesty in?” “Pardon?” “Is His Majesty inside?” “The customary working hours mean naturally so, yes.” A guard's comment implied the obvious: why even ask such a question? Realizing his impatience, Viktor calmed himself, taking deep breaths. “Sir Viktor. Enter.” Another guard’s voice prompted him to forget all attempts at calm as he hurriedly dashed into the inner sanctum. In the midst of all this, Viktor encountered a mix of unwelcome and pleasant faces. “Viktor?” “Oh my, Sir Viktor? Where have you been rushing from?” His friend Ronyan and his adversary, Louisa von Aserian, were oddly walking together, smiling side by side. The scene was almost too peculiar, resembling that of a couple. Puzzled by how such a picture could come to be, he didn’t have the mental space to delve into it at the moment. “It’s nothing you need to know.” Had it been only Ronyan, he might’ve considered it. But with Louisa present, he couldn't talk about his mission. As Viktor was about to pass by them, Louisa spoke with a curious expression. “For a transcendent to sweat that much, it must’ve been quite an urgent task. Or perhaps a challenging one.” Viktor couldn’t help but shoot a fierce glare at Louisa. His status as a transcendent was a tightly-held secret. Yet, here stood one of the last people who should be aware of this knowledge. His icy gaze shifted from Louisa to his friend, Ronyan, seeking answers. But Ronyan merely shook his head with a wry smile. ‘He looks perfectly fine.’ This meant Louisa had discovered it on her own. What should he do about this? Already troubled, darker thoughts flitted through his mind, only to be interrupted by her provoking voice once more. “His Majesty is already in the loop, so there’s no need to look so grim about it. Besides, can’t you tell us where you’ve been? That would mean it’s truly confidential.” Without uttering a word, Viktor turned away. ‘Reporting back on my mission comes first.’ He had no choice but to ignore Louisa’s penetrating, meaningful gaze boring into the back of his head as he walked away.