Chapter 162

Chapter 162
## Chapter 162: No Need

“What kind of absurdity is this?!”

“Barstain, the Crimson Dragon Sword, is gone.”

The pedestal where the legendary blade should have rested was vacant.

A panicked Martin scrambled to inspect every artifact within the Imperial Vault, yet the result remained unchanged throughout the chamber.

“The Crimson Dragon Sword has already selected its bearer.”

If the blade had been stolen, the guardian of the vault could not have possibly overlooked the breach—meaning it had been removed through legitimate channels.

“You have the audacity to lie to my face?!”

“I would put my life on the line. The Crimson Dragon Sword wasn’t even mentioned in the current logs; I am the one most shocked by this disappearance.”

Barstain was the very emblem of the empire. If someone had claimed it, the matter could never simply end there. It was a relic that could never be kept in the shadows.

“Had someone truly taken the Crimson Dragon Sword, the entire empire would be in a state of chaos.”

Whether it was the joyous tidings of a new champion destined to elevate the empire to glory, or the grim omen of a rising threat to the throne itself. Yet, not a single whisper regarding the Crimson Dragon Sword existed. It had been buried in silence—total, absolute silence.

“What was the guardian’s explanation?”

“I pressed him for answers, but he remained tight-lipped. The only logical deduction is that the Emperor himself gave his blessing.”

And the sovereign had deliberately concealed the fact that the blade had found a new hand.

“…But why?”

“Did any other members of the royal bloodline enter these halls?”

“The three others, excluding myself, have already retrieved their chosen relics from this vault.”

“And prior to that?”

“They are all deceased, nothing more than restless spirits now. Their treasures were returned to the collective.”

The artifacts within the vault were the ultimate property of the empire. When the life of the one who earned them reached its end, the items were reclaimed by the treasury.

“Then it has to be one of those three.”

“Doesn’t that make the situation even more bizarre? If any of them had secured the Crimson Dragon Sword, they would have broadcasted it to the world—loudly and proudly.”

Possessing Barstain was no trivial feat. It would immediately overshadow all other contenders and practically guarantee the position of Crown Prince.

“…No, perhaps there is another way to look at it.”

Martin cut himself off, falling into a pensive silence.

“It seems you’ve realized something. I just arrived at a single possibility myself.”

“…His Majesty was never chosen by the Crimson Dragon Sword. In fact, very few emperors in our history ever were.”

“Which only serves to heighten its symbolic weight and power.”

Weight enough to potentially destabilize even the Emperor’s own seat.

‘In that case.’

The Crimson Dragon Sword was already gripped by someone—one of the other three royals.

‘One of those bastards…’

The same filth who were deeply complicit in the downfall of Berge.

“Uncover who took that blade, regardless of the cost. Once you have a name…”

The gaze of Berge turned frigid.

“I will provide more assistance than you ever dreamed possible.”

Martin felt a chill as the sharp, murderous intent cut through the man’s otherwise calm exterior.

“…Understood.”

He gave a sharp nod.

—

“Martin had a meeting, and immediately afterward, he accessed the vault…”

Rufus Jespain, the First Prince of the Empire, made it his business to track every shadow cast by his siblings. Even without his direct surveillance, the news of someone entering the treasury had rippled through the palace.

“Have you identified the individual he met with?”

“Yes, Your Highness. A man identified as Fail.”

“Fail?”

“The traveler rumored to possess mana as untainted as a spirit’s. You recall how the Kingdom of Akan is obsessed with obtaining his lineage.”

“That was him? Why would a person like that associate with Martin?”

“Fail has a history with Hillun Kagil. They fought side-by-side during the Hasturline Gorge campaign against the dark sorcerers. And as we know, Hillun…”

“…is connected to Martin. Therefore, Fail is acting as Hillun Kagil’s messenger to my brother.”

“That is our current theory.”

“How curious.”

The treasures held within the vault were all artifacts of immense power. It was standard procedure for any royal who drew a lucky lot to enter immediately to claim their prize, as these tools were far more useful in hand than sitting on a shelf.

Yet Martin had been the outlier, holding onto his access without using it—until now. He had met with Hillun Kagil’s representative and then went straight into the vault.

“I take it we don’t know what he retrieved?”

“My apologies, Your Highness.”

“Can we safely assume Hillun Kagil has thrown his full weight behind Martin?”

“We can.”

“A short-sighted decision in the long run.”

Rufus’s mouth curled into a sneer.

A hero was the symbol of all humanity—the shield against the Demon King. Their influence and reputation were never to be taken lightly. This was precisely why the Empire maintained a delicate relationship with the Hero Guild, always trying to poach their best talent despite the friction.

In the current climate, one could not discuss power without mentioning heroes. Naturally, the brightest stars among them were the most valuable—especially Hillun Kagil, who had successfully brought down two Demon Kings and was at the peak of his fame.

“What of Vallarf Disroad?”

“No contact as of yet.”

“He is capable of locating the tower, is he not?”

Rufus didn’t bother asking if the man could defeat the Demon King. As the premier hero, Vallarf would triumph even if the Flame Emperor Demon King showed a different side of his power. The only reason Vallarf would fail is if the tower remained hidden from him.

“He will find it. And even if he doesn’t, his status is secure.”

“I have my doubts.”

“Hillun Kagil also failed to locate the Tower of Flames.”

“But this time he managed to rescue the Crown Princess of Hilderan. And the person who actually saved her…”

Rufus stopped mid-sentence. His brow began to knit together in deep thought.

“…Why did that slip past me?”

“Pardon, Your Highness?”

“Fail is Hillun Kagil’s envoy, correct?”

“That is the report.”

“But before he is merely a hero, he is the Star of Argan—and the hero of Hilderan.”

His reputation had reached new heights following the rescue of Hilderan’s princess.

“It’s common knowledge that Hillun Kagil has been appearing at social functions alongside Hilderan’s royalty.”

“So he might not just be representing Hillun Kagil, but the interests of Hilderan itself.”

“Precisely!”

He had been looking at the situation purely through the lens of heroics. He had forgotten that heroes and high-level politics were inseparable.

“Ensure Fail is watched with the utmost scrutiny.”

“What are your intentions?”

“Hilderan is within reach of the empire, is it not? People often go missing or succumb to illness during their travels.”

A murderous glint entered his eyes.

“Specifically, someone with ties to Hillun Kagil warrants a very close look.”

“Agreed. To think he would dare pull foreign influence into our internal struggles? That wretch has no sense of imperial dignity.”

It wasn’t a certainty yet, but the mere suspicion was enough to irritate him.

“A wise observation, Your Highness.”

“Pure mana that even Akan covets… I find myself wanting to witness it firsthand.”

He was also intensely curious about the specifics of the conversation between the man and Martin.

“It will be handled.”

The prince and his subordinate shared a cold, calculating smile.

—

Following his encounter with the Third Prince, Berge settled on his next path.

‘To Hilderan…’

The memory of Ernyan’s voice, pleading for him to visit Hilderan after leaving the tower, still echoed in his mind. Since things were moving forward, he would meet with Hillun Kagil, issue his next command, and pay a visit to the princess.

‘It’s infuriating that the sword has already found a master, but at least I’ve verified its identity.’

Barstain was the heart of the empire, and records of it were plentiful. Using the scrying tool Martin provided, Berge had scrutinized the weapon’s features. It was a match. That specific sword—it was the very one.

‘It always comes back to the empire.’

The heroes who had ended Berge were all tied to this land. In a sense, it was unavoidable. After all, the catalyst for Berge’s execution had been the abduction of the imperial crown prince—the man now known as First Prince Rufus Jespain.

“Welcome, traveler.”

“I require the use of the teleportation array.”

Upon reaching the mage tower in the capital, Berge stepped onto the circle destined for the frontier city of Phrigia.

And then, everything changed.

“…Whose work is this?”

He stood before a group of masked warriors who glared at him from within the depths of a rank, humid swampland. This was certainly not Phrigia.

‘The destination was hijacked.’

The coordinates had been maliciously shifted. In the heart of the capital’s own mage tower, the transition hadn’t just been a mistake; it had been an intentional trap. Someone with significant authority over the imperial mages was targeting him.

Who could it be? One of the four main players.

The First Prince. The Second Prince. The First Princess. Or perhaps a high-ranking noble. Or, against the odds, the Emperor himself.

‘Did they track my meeting with Martin? Did they follow us all the way to the treasury?’

He had been so preoccupied with the Crimson Dragon Sword that he had let his guard down. He couldn’t deny his lapse in judgment. The persona of Fail was no longer an anonymous entity, and Martin was a high-profile prince. There were too many eyes watching.

“Are you not going to speak?”

‘Ten of them.’

Berge scanned the perimeter. Not a single one of them looked like a common soldier.

“Accompany us without resistance, and you won’t be harmed.”

The man at the front spoke in a voice devoid of any human warmth.

“I’d prefer to know the reason why.”

“A certain individual wishes to speak with you.”

“And who might that be? The First Prince? The Second? The Princess? Or perhaps…”

The Emperor?

“…Mind your tongue.”

“And if I refuse to go quietly?”

“Your consent is irrelevant.”

*Shing—*

Ten blades were unsheathed simultaneously.

“They say you are a capable mage?”

Aura surged. Like a physical weight, it vibrated through the air, pressing down on Berge from all sides. It was a technique designed to disrupt his internal mana flow.

“Can you even manage a spell in this environment?”

*Krunch—*

The earth beneath him cracked. A staggering pressure bore down on Berge’s frame. To their surprise, Berge’s lips pulled into a smirk.

“You find this amusing?”

“There are no signs of life in the vicinity.”

Whatever he did here would go completely unnoticed by the outside world.

“That is correct. Which means even if I end you, no one will ever…”

Know.

Berge made a sudden motion with his hand. Tiny fractures began to spiderweb through the formation of the ten knights.

“Do you know why I ventured into the capital alone, even knowing the risk of the Third Prince’s betrayal?”

“What are you—”

“Because I am certain of my own power.”

Confident that he could endure and overcome anything they threw his way.

────!

The cracks in the air tore open.

A violent shockwave erupted, rattling the knights’ auras. The masked men ground their teeth against the force.

“I no longer have to worry about the consequences of hiding the tower in the sea.”

“…Tower?”

Dark, swirling energy collided with their golden auras. It was a malevolent, terrifying force that bore no resemblance to standard mana, striking fear into the hearts of the knights.

“D-Demonkin?!”

“The demonic energy I’ve gathered while avoiding the eyes of heroes and taking eight more princesses—nearly twenty million souls in total.”

All of it was here.

“He’s a Demonkin! Maintain your—”

“I used that power to shatter your interference.”

The demonic pressure exploded outward. It wasn’t an uncontrolled blast, but it was more than enough to paralyze the knights with raw terror.

“So there is no reason for me to hold back anymore.”

The sheer arrogance of these men.

“I have no need to spare the tongue that dared to threaten me.”

“No reason to leave those eyes intact after the way they looked at me.”

Stepping forward, Berge began his advance.

“I only require a single mouth to tell me who sent you. As for the rest of you…”

Perish.

The darkness expanded.

It consumed everything in its path.

When the fires finally receded, nothing remained of the swamp or the men.

And then, a crimson flame flickered, purging the lingering shadows.

—

“They were annihilated?”

“…Yes, Your Highness. The Black Lion Knights assigned to the abduction—everyone is gone. We found only signs of a devastating struggle, piles of ash that we assume are the remains of the knights, and traces of extreme heat and fire.”

“He wiped out the Black Lion Knights by himself? Even with Autor at the helm?”

Autor was the commander of the Black Lion Knights and one of the three pillars of power for House Osrian. He had accepted this clandestine mission because his unit had been decimated during the Hasturline campaign. He had reached out to Rufus for support to rebuild his house, making him desperate for success.

Yet he had fallen alongside ten of his elite men.

“Is it possible they confessed our involvement…?”

“They were conditioned to resist all forms of interrogation and mental tampering. Unless the Succubus Queen—the Lust Demon King—used her sorcery, it’s impossible.”

But that Demon King was already dead. And Fail, as a companion of Hillun Kagil, had no possible link to her.

“Has there been any sign of him?”

“No records of him using the teleportation network.”

“We’ve stumbled upon a target that requires our full attention, and we’ve managed to provoke him.”

Rufus’s expression darkened.

“There is a figure under Hillun Kagil who demands even more of our focus than we realized. For the time being, do not engage. Simply follow his trail and unearth everything about his history.”

“As you command.”

“This debt of blood… I will see it repaid one day.”

Rufus’s eyes burned with a lethal promise.