Ch.132132. Revelation

As I entered the chancellor’s office, the chancellor was standing respectfully, wiping away beads of sweat with a handkerchief.

Right now, I wasn’t here as a professor under the chancellor, but as Griffin Kingdom’s one and only Black Mage.

As Deus Verdi, the Spiritmaster.

“You’ve come.”

His Majesty’s expression in the crystal ball on the desk was quite dark. He didn’t look at all like a man who had decisively suppressed the nobles and established himself on a throne of absolute monarchy.

“Spiritmaster Deus Verdi, at Your Majesty’s service.”

I immediately knelt on one knee, attempting to offer a formal greeting, but Orpheus waved his hand.

“We’re among friends. You know I don’t care much for such formalities.”

At those words, I didn’t force it and slowly stood up.

The chancellor and Erika seemed quite shocked by His Majesty’s response, but I paid them no mind.

“I heard the news on my way here. The tribes from the Maria’s Great Forest in the east have begun their assault.”

“It’s a massacre. A great massacre. Nothing survives where they pass.”

They kill people and eat animals.

Moving with only these two thoughts in mind, they were no different from a plague of locusts.

“I heard they’re doing it to avenge Chief Katoler and the people of Setima.”

“How many years has it been since the Chief died? That was during my father’s time.”

I know about the Chief. After all, he was among the souls forcibly raised by Lemegeton when I fought with Mage Inquisitor Tairn at the execution grounds.

I remember his lightning powers were quite formidable.

“As for the grudge of the Setima people… I don’t know the details, but I heard you already resolved that. The Zeronia family took responsibility and even erected a memorial.”

“I can assure you that they would never welcome massacres carried out in their name.”

They were pure souls who were willing to forgive even the Zeronia family and Griffin Kingdom who had brutally murdered them.

The fact that the Marias tribe was massacring people in Setima’s name made me extremely, very extremely uncomfortable.

“Yes. Something seemed off, so I had it investigated. And some rather troublesome families emerged.”

King Orpheus gritted his teeth.

“Lomerzhan, Haeroin, Boman. I received intelligence that the heads of these families, who were still opposing me, have fled to the Maria’s Great Forest.”

“…”

“Those bastards were not only in communication with the Kingdom of Zerman, but were also preparing to commit treason if given the chance. Complete madmen.”

So when they were at risk of being discovered, they fled and brought in the Marias tribe?

It seemed like a purely malicious plot, but if so, I couldn’t help but question it.

“I doubt the Marias tribe would follow them just because of a few words.”

“Yes, I think so too.”

The nobles who fled must have done something, but that alone wouldn’t have been enough for the tribes of Maria’s Great Forest to invade a powerful nation like Griffin.

“So I sent soldiers first. To show the royal family’s determination to thoroughly protect its citizens, I dispatched part of the Royal Guard.”

It was quite an aggressive response, but it showed how much he cared about the safety of his subjects.

It was essentially like taking the kingdom’s strongest sword, meant to protect the royal family, to the battlefield to cut down enemies.

Especially since the Knight Commander, Gloria Grace, was a powerful figure on par with the Mage Inquisitor Tairn.

While I thought they would bring news of victory soon…

“They lost, didn’t they?”

If not, King Orpheus wouldn’t be this worried.

“…Yes, even the Knight Commander was defeated. We’re trying to keep it quiet, but it can’t be completely hidden.”

The king’s knights were defeated by eastern tribal people.

That alone could bring great chaos to the entire kingdom again and potentially crumble the hard-earned royal authority.

“I need your help. I heard he wields a unique power, not mana. And you’re the expert when it comes to mysterious incidents.”

“…”

“Saintess Lucia has already headed there. She and Knight Commander Gloria have been friends since childhood.”

That was information I already knew.

I took a deep breath and bowed my head.

“I accept your command. I will depart immediately.”

“I’m counting on you.”

The crystal ball went dark, and I slowly raised my upper body to look at the chancellor.

“As you heard, I’ll be away for a while.”

The chancellor answered by nodding his head vigorously.

* * *

The preparations for departure didn’t take long. Since it was a dangerous battlefield, I naturally left Illuania, who was pregnant, behind.

I departed with Findenai and Owen.

Professor Per Petra expressed regret at seeing the research lab become lonely again, and Erika apologized for not being able to come along.

Students like Aria and Elenoa Luden Griffin were currently doing practical training, so I had to leave without saying goodbye to them.

“Kiya, I said I had nowhere to use it, and now I immediately have somewhere to use it.”

While driving the carriage, Findenai grinned while looking at the Blood Claw I had gifted her.

Since it was an item that needed blood to activate, there was a need to confirm its performance in actual combat.

“Owen, you’ll be staying in the safest place possible, so don’t worry too much.”

“Yes, I’ll watch the Spiritmaster’s activities with my own eyes!”

“Hey, are you just going to watch while your sister fights her ass off?”

Findenai immediately jabbed at him. I told Owen to just ignore her and fell into thought.

What the mountain spirit of the Norsweden Mountains had told me when I visited last time kept lingering in my mind.

‘I heard the guardian deity of Maria’s Forest has abandoned the forest.’

When a guardian deity abandons its home, it loses its near-eternal life and its great power rapidly weakens.

I couldn’t help but think that Horua was somehow connected to this incident.

‘Great Warrior Balkzar.’

He used a unique power, not mana, and had driven away Knight Commander Gloria, one of the kingdom’s top fighters.

The important thing was…

‘He’s a character that doesn’t appear in the game.’

A completely unfamiliar name.

A being who wasn’t even mentioned in the game.

In fact, there was no such large-scale incident around this time in the game, nor was there any scenario where the Marias tribe invaded.

It seems that the changes I created have become a butterfly effect, creating this storm.

‘Even so, it’s disturbing.’

From carrying out massacres in the name of the Setima residents, to this man called the Great Warrior exuding monstrous strength.

It was full of things I didn’t know, and nothing but troubling issues.

I sighed deeply and looked out the window to clear my head.

* * *

Eastern mountain village.

Thick smoke was rising from the scorched village that the Marias tribe was using as their base.

They had to light large fires to cook meat on a large scale, and they were even dancing around them.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Inside a huge tent where the heavy drumbeats could be heard.

Great Warrior Balkzar was tearing into meat while looking at Shong, who was both a shaman and a prophet.

Shong was kneeling in front of a large map of the Griffin Kingdom, shaking a staff with bells while muttering something.

As time passed, one of the game pieces on the map began to move ever so slightly.

Seeing this, Shong suddenly stood up and pointed at the piece with his staff.

“That one. That is the one closest to death that our ancestors spoke of.”

“Hmm!”

“He is coming! He’s still some distance away, but judging by his speed, he’s in a carriage! He is coming!”

“Hmm!”

“Avoid that man! That was the revelation our ancestors gave to me!”

Biting his thick lips, Balkzar wore a displeased expression, but Shong shook his staff again, making the bells ring as if telling him to come to his senses.

But Balkzar roughly emptied the cup of alcohol beside him and shouted loudly.

“The souls of our ancestors rest on my shoulders! They light my path! They guide me!”

He had the fighting spirit befitting his name as the Great Warrior, telling them not to underestimate him.

“The fiery wings of Lord Horua are with me! The guardian deity himself chose me and commanded me to bring salvation to Maria’s Great Forest!”

“…”

“You say I will lose? Even the red female knight, said to be the king’s greatest sword, couldn’t properly face me and was defeated?”

“…I didn’t say you would lose.”

Shong answered in a low voice, as if warning him.

“If it’s a duel, who could defeat you as you are now! But he is the judge of the dead.”

Shong pointed directly at Balkzar’s chest.

“The moment you see him, our ancestors will flee. The moment he gestures, Lord Horua will fall to the ground. That was the revelation.”

“…”

“Please, don’t let him become our terror.”

Balkzar fell into thought at Shong’s earnest plea. It was the first time he had requested something so desperately, and also the first time he had shown such excessive fear.

A being who could neutralize him, who had the power of the ancestors and the guardian deity Horua?

Honestly, Balkzar was intrigued.

He wanted to go and fight him.

He wanted to feel for himself just how formidable this being was.

But the three former nobles of the Griffin Kingdom, who were standing respectfully beside him, spoke up.

“He is someone called the Spiritmaster.”

“He’s just a dog who guards the north.”

“He’s a man who can’t even control himself. We will handle him.”

After all, it was Spiritmaster Deus Verdi who had provided the cause that made these nobles flee in the first place.

The three men pledged revenge against the Spiritmaster with burning determination.

“Hmph, do as you please.”

Though slightly disappointed, Balkzar lifted his refilled cup, thinking that if the Spiritmaster could be defeated by such nobles, he wouldn’t need to step in himself.

Honestly.

He didn’t think these scarecrow-like nobles could accomplish anything.

The Great Warrior, certain that he would eventually meet that man, enjoyed his feast while anticipating his encounter with the Spiritmaster, like waiting for rice to steam.