Chapter 69: Edgar 4

Silverbrook’s mansion had been impressive, but this was on a completely different level.

It exuded an overwhelming dignity, as if steeped in centuries of history.

The towering walls and the spires that rose above them seemed to pierce the sky.

The main gate was a black iron door carved with intricate patterns, flanked by armored guards.

A white sword was emblazoned on their armor.

When the carriage stopped at the entrance, one of the guards saw our crest and his eyes widened in surprise, then he whispered to his companion.

“Isn’t that Silverbrook’s carriage? Baron Silverbrook wasn’t on the guest list today…”

“Are you sure? Should I double-check?”

“No, I saw it clearly. Perhaps it’s a sudden visit? I must inform the Count at once.”

Their conversation drifted to my ears on the wind.

‘We didn’t come under the Silverbrook name…’

As one of the guards was about to enter the mansion to report, I opened the door and stepped out of the carriage.

“Oh!”

The guards’ faces were etched with bewilderment.

They had expected Baron Silverbrook, so the appearance of an impossibly beautiful young girl was, naturally, a shock.

‘I’m here to see Brian and Edgar!’

“I merely borrowed Baron Silverbrook’s carriage. This is the home of Brian and Edgar’s family, correct? I just came by to visit.”

Oh, right!

I camped outdoors specifically to avoid activating my noble trait, and yet, the moment I arrive in the capital, I go to a Count’s estate!

“That spirit must have reappeared…!”

At my sudden elegant tone, Leivi whispered quietly to Ryandel.

Are you mocking me!

Meanwhile, the guard was so stunned that he stood with his mouth agape, unable to form words.

The confusion and bewilderment on his face visibly grew.

“Are… are you looking for the young masters Brian and Edgar?”

He finally managed to speak, but his voice was laced with a strange tension.

There was an awkwardness to it, as if he were hiding something.

‘Yes!’

“That’s right.”

“Ah… Please wait a moment. I will go and inform the Count.”

With those words, the guard exchanged a glance with his colleague and hurried into the mansion.

The remaining guard stood his ground, an awkward smile plastered on his face.

“Something’s strange…”

I muttered under my breath.

The emotion that flickered in the guard’s eyes when I mentioned Brian and Edgar wasn’t simple surprise.

There was something more complex mixed in… something like sorrow or dismay.

“It seems there is a problem.”

Ryandel spoke in a low voice beside me.

“Yeah, it looks that way.”

Leivi also looked around, her eyes darting about anxiously.

Miel and Cecilia, sensing the tense atmosphere, circled me rapidly, their wings beating faster than usual.

Before long, the guard returned.

His expression was even more rigid, but he bowed his head deeply, as if trying his best to maintain his courtesy.

“The Count will see you. Will you please come inside?”

Leivi and Ryandel alighted from the carriage and followed.

Miel and Cecilia continued to circle me, and Rote orbited my side as always.

Glecia, who had been lazing on top of the carriage, belatedly flapped her wings and slowly trailed behind.

As the guard led us, I had a chance to observe the mansion’s interior in detail.

Passing through a vast garden, lush trees and beautiful fountains came into view.

As we ascended a marble staircase, the main building of the estate revealed itself.

Magnificent pillars adorned the entrance, and ornate stained-glass windows caught the afternoon sun, casting a kaleidoscope of colors.

It was certainly larger and more magnificent than Silverbrook’s mansion, but the overall atmosphere and architectural style were similar.

It seemed all noble estates in the kingdom shared a fundamental design.

At the entrance to the mansion, servants were lined up in two rows.

They bowed their heads deeply each time we passed.

Their eyes, too, seemed to be tinged with sadness.

We were guided through a large hall into an elegant reception room.

Inside, a man of dignified bearing stood by the window, gazing outside.

At the sound of our footsteps, he slowly turned.

With his sturdy build and broad shoulders, he was clearly the head of the Hynde family.

His sharp eyes and firmly set lips radiated strictness and strength.

His black hair, streaked with gray, was neatly swept back, and his posture hinted at the refined balance of a master swordsman.

I intuitively sensed he was a powerful human and checked his status window.

『 ☆☆☆☆ 【Gaster】 Human LV161 』

Oh-ho!
A stronger old man than I thought!

Count Hynde gazed at us for a moment, then slowly bowed his head.

His every movement was steeped in profound dignity.

“Welcome. It is an honor to have you visit our home.”

His voice was incredibly heavy, imbued with a deep fatigue, as if he carried the weight of a long-held sorrow.

‘Yes, it’s nice to meet you! Are Brian and Edgar not here?’

“I came to see Brian and Edgar. But it seems there’s a problem, is there not?”

The moment I spoke, Gaster’s expression hardened.

A complex mix of emotions flickered in his eyes.

Sorrow, dismay, and perhaps even a hint of anger.

“Will you please sit? I’m afraid this will be a long story.”

Sorrow spread from his voice like ripples in water.

I instinctively knew that something terrible had happened.

Suddenly, a corner of my heart felt heavy.

***

When I opened my eyes, a white ceiling filled my vision.

Clear sunlight streamed through a window, softly illuminating the room.

For a while, I just stared at the ceiling, trying to piece together where I was and how I had gotten here.

‘Am I… alive…’

My entire body throbbed with pain.

A sharp ache radiated from my right shoulder down to my chest.

I could feel the warmth of healing magic, but a sharp agony still lingered beneath it.

My last memory was vivid.

The giant ice hornet I encountered the moment I escaped the Great Labyrinth.

I had sent Klaus ahead to warn about Rowen’s black magic, while I stayed behind to fight alone.

The cold shock as its blue stinger pierced my shoulder.

The excruciating moment when a pain that felt like an eternity spread through my body.

And the instant my consciousness faded and I collapsed.

“You’re awake, Edgar.”

At the familiar voice, I slowly turned my head.

My brother was sitting in a chair beside the bed.

Brian.

It was the first time I had seen his face in seven years.

Time had left its mark on my brother’s face as well.

The soft contours of his youth were gone, replaced by a harder, more angular look.

Fine lines had appeared around his eyes, and a small scar I’d never seen before sat above his right eyebrow.

But his warm gaze remained unchanged.

“Brother…?”

I tried to speak, but only a hoarse croak came out.

My lips were parched, and my throat felt as dry as a desert.

My brother picked up a water glass from the bedside table and handed it to me.

His touch was as careful and gentle as I remembered.

As the cool water trickled down my throat, it felt as if life was returning to my entire body.

“It’s a miracle. To have survived something like that.”

His words were filled with a profound sense of relief.

His eyes were shadowed with days of worry and fatigue.

He had clearly been watching over me this whole time.

“How…?”

I tried to continue, but I still lacked the strength.

He understood my unspoken question and began to explain.

“I found you collapsed and took you to the flower. That flower saved you.”

“A flower…?”

A faint memory surfaced in my mind.

The giant flower we met in the deeper levels.

The one with red petals that shone like rubies and purple pistils that danced in the air.

That imposing being that commanded hundreds of insects.

He took me to the very flower we had fought…

“That flower healed you. It’s hard to believe, but it’s the truth.”

A wave of confusion washed over me.

The entity that had annihilated the knight order had saved me… A turmoil of hostility and gratitude churned in my chest, an incomprehensible feeling.

“The flower’s name is Lycoris.”

My brother continued, a strange note of reverence in his voice.

“She is a subordinate of Frostia, the legendary ruler of the Great Labyrinth. Lycoris is no mere monster.

She possesses intelligence and immense power.”

“That… King of Insects…?”

My voice was still hoarse, but strength was slowly returning to it.

Only then did I have the presence of mind to look around.

I was in a small infirmary in the village temple.

Through the window, the peaceful daily life of Sia Kalt village unfolded.

A long silence stretched between us.

Only the sound of villagers’ conversations and children’s laughter from outside broke the stillness.

That bustling sound of everyday life seemed to only emphasize the heavy silence that lay between us.

“Brother, are you not planning to return to the family?”

I asked cautiously.

The memory of that day seven years ago surfaced.

My brother, who had rejected the path of a nobleman to walk the path of an adventurer.

And I, who could not understand him.

The fierce argument and discord from back then still lingered in my heart, but now was not the time to dwell on such things.

My brother was silent for a long moment, then a sad yet firm smile touched his lips.

“I haven’t achieved my dream yet.”

I understood the meaning behind those words.

He had chosen his path and was walking it without wavering.

There was no chance he would return to the family.

“I see.”

My reply was short, but it held a great deal of meaning.

Understanding, respect, and a mutual resolve to walk our own paths.

I would no longer try to persuade him.

I could now respect his choice.

After a little more conversation, we shared a final embrace.

Now, we would once again go our separate ways.

He, over the mountain range, and I, towards the Jeness Kingdom.

I didn’t tell him about Rowen’s black magic.

Part of it was not wanting to burden him with worry, but this was a problem for me to solve, not for him, who lived the life of an adventurer.

It was my duty as a knight of our family, as a guardian of the kingdom.

…

Duke Crosby’s estate was located in the heart of the Jeness Kingdom, near the Temple of Light.

Adorned with beautiful white marble and gold decorations, his mansion looked like an extension of the temple itself.

The Crosby family, one of the oldest in the kingdom, was renowned for their loyalty to Mikel, the God of Light.

That was why I had told Klaus to seek out Duke Crosby, a man famous for his loyalty and integrity.

And I, too, sought him out immediately upon my return to the kingdom.

“Sir Edgar. Welcome.”

Duke Crosby greeted me in a deep, resonant voice.

Though his hair was half-white, he still exuded an air of dignity.

His eyes, full of deep wisdom, and his composed demeanor were enough to serve as a model for other nobles.

“Your Grace, I have something of great importance to discuss.”

After the Duke led me to his study, I recounted everything that had happened in Sia Kalt.

The dangers of the frozen mountains, the terror of the Great Labyrinth, the story of the King of Insects, and most importantly, the suspicion surrounding Captain Rowen’s use of black magic and his allegiance to an evil god.

“Worshippers of an evil god?”

After hearing my story, the Duke’s gaze sharpened.

Deep concern was written on his face.

“That is a most serious matter indeed…”

“More importantly, has Klaus not come here?”

I couldn’t help but ask.

He paused in thought for a moment before answering.

“No one by the name of Klaus has come. Who might that be?”

“He is a knight who survived with me. I told him to seek you out…”

I couldn’t finish my sentence.

An ominous premonition ran down my spine.

Klaus was an honest and loyal knight.

It was unthinkable that he would disobey an order.

Something must have happened to him.

“I see. In that case, your life may be in danger as well.”

The Duke said with a grave expression, his gaze hardening.

“Returning to your family would not be wise. Stay here until this matter is resolved.

If you remain hidden, it will be believed that there were no survivors from Sia Kalt, so let us leave it at that. You did not enter the capital through the main gate, I trust?”

“No, Your Grace. I slipped in through a back alley at dawn.”

I nodded in agreement with his proposal.

It was the best course of action if I was to find Klaus and uncover the identity of these evil god worshippers.

The moment I revealed myself, Rowen’s allies would surely target me.

A few days later, we learned a shocking truth.

Klaus’s body was discovered on the outskirts of the capital.

The dismembered corpse was difficult to identify, but the insignia of the Kingdom’s 2nd Knight Order, which he carried, confirmed his identity.

“It seems he was attacked as soon as he arrived in the kingdom.”

The Duke said in a heavy voice.

I could see his eyes waver.

As someone who had stood at the center of the kingdom for a long time, he did not easily show his emotions, but in this moment, a grim anger radiated from him.

Klaus’s death fueled our investigation.

This was no longer a mere suspicion.

It was now certain that these worshippers of an evil god truly existed and were plotting something.

And what their next target was, we would soon find out.