Ch.14648. What Other Reason Would There Be Not to Benefit

Finding someone connected to the Relief Knights wasn’t difficult.

The Imperial Intelligence Agency quickly made contact and directly revealed their whereabouts.

Specifically, they were significant figures within the Relief Knights.

Those classified as part of the Snake-Eye faction, and the one considered their de facto leader, were openly continuing their public activities.

Lueld leaped across several buildings at once, heading toward the location marked on the map.

Two shadows barely managed to follow him.

While Hamern, the blonde green-eyed elf, practically flew through the air, the young man chasing after him lacked technique but compensated with overwhelming physical strength and ability.

With dark blue hair and unusual eyes that somehow evoked a pinkish hue, he was a descendant of another hero who inherited the surname of Hamelot, one of the heroes.

Dyke was desperately following Lueld, whom he hadn’t seen in quite some time.

‘This isn’t really my forte.’

Would you believe that even this pace was Lueld going at half-speed?

He truly lived up to his reputation, both then and now.

Unlike Dyke’s dissolute father, whose skills and capabilities had significantly diminished from his prime, Lueld had never neglected his training, meaning he was now in his prime in a different sense… according to Princess Elhermina’s assessment.

Being burdened with the “Dark Lord’s legacy” or “power” wasn’t something to celebrate.

In other words, even without those things, Lueld’s strength made him an extraordinary existence.

As the figure they were chasing suddenly stopped on the roof of a stone building, the two shadows moved right beside him.

“There they are.”

A small shrine.

This place, which appeared to be an old temple, or rather its vicinity, was unusually crowded with people.

Personnel distributing food, and those trying to maintain order despite their anxious desire to receive food.

Some attempted to cut in line or steal food from those who had just received their portions.

Even so, due to the few security officers watching with stern gazes, people in the alleyways merely observed cautiously without daring to intervene.

Eventually, Dyke directed his gaze toward the inside of the shrine.

“Let’s go.”

Having spotted something, Lueld suddenly launched himself onto the shrine’s roof.

It happened in the blink of an eye.

Next, Hamern moved discreetly, as if walking up invisible stairs in the air, but…

“This won’t work for me.”

Having neither aptitude nor talent for stealthy movement, Dyke instead descended from the roof and took the long way around.

No point in drawing unnecessary attention, right?

By then, Lueld was already confronting a white-haired man who had just exited the shrine and entered the alley.

While one had naturally white hair, the other’s was faded white, lacking both luster and vitality, making the contrast between them quite stark even from a distance.

“Your coming to me means you haven’t been able to locate him.”

The man spoke in a monotone voice, as if he had completely seen through the intentions of his pursuers, his face expressionless.

“Do I need to explain?”

Lueld asked in a calm tone.

“Of course not.”

The white-haired man, Rupert, calmly shook his head with his eyes closed.

“I can only offer you my sincere condolences.”

“…”

Sincere… condolences?

“Still, I prepared a message for this occasion. Though he didn’t want me to.”

“Do you think we came here without knowing what Kariel went through because of you people?”

“Then you’re detaining the wrong person.”

“…”

“I wasn’t involved. Nevertheless, as a member of the same organization, I won’t deny being an accomplice. I have no objection that both negligence and indifference fall under the category of complicity.”

For someone who could see the future like him, initiating events was impossible.

He could recognize impending situations and utilize them, but he couldn’t instigate them.

So if one had to identify the instigator, it would be Useph, not Rupert himself.

But even then, what difference was there between him and a puppet of fate?

In the end, it was destined to happen even without their intervention.

Besides, all the Relief Knights—all Useph—did was provide a slight inspiration for the concerns that Count Esdina harbored at the time.

Nevertheless, knowing this and still establishing deals and friendly relations with the nobles who opposed the Hero Emperor and the Esdina family…

It was calculated to reap massive benefits from the void they would leave behind.

Even that calculation wasn’t made by Rupert himself.

Similarly, he might have provided information and stood by without intervention, but that was all.

The reason he could do so was because his imperfect ability to glimpse the future left some uncertainty.

Interpretation was necessary, and sometimes incomplete interpretations led to unexpected results.

If…

If Rupert could see the future as clearly as Grandeus, he truly wouldn’t have been able to take any action.

When the future you learn about is an unchangeable certainty, all actions become futile and meaningless struggles.

…Yet Grandeus had said that the future becomes fixed by my actions.

But that was because he was an exceptional being.

And the reason he could stand on the stage called “era” was because of the miracle he achieved by winning the power and qualifications worthy of it.

“Take this.”

Searching his clothes, he pulled out a folded paper, which Lueld accepted with a displeased look.

“Didn’t you say it was a message?”

“I thought you might not believe it if it came from my mouth, so I went through the trouble of asking him to write it down.”

He added quietly, “For this very moment.”

Lueld quickly took it and unfolded it.

He wasn’t so oblivious as to not realize this person was stalling for time.

Having encountered and resolved numerous incidents, his intuition regarding such matters had developed considerably.

However.

Perhaps it was because his son was involved.

Or maybe it was due to Geornia’s desperate plea, shouted while vomiting blood like a fountain.

“…”

Unfolding the paper, Lueld inhaled sharply at its contents.

[He will come to you when the time is right. You won’t have to wait long. It will be soon. So please refrain from unnecessary pursuit.]

Written with several repeated phrases, it was essentially a clear dismissal.

Though it mentioned no one specifically, it clearly seemed directed at Lueld himself.

…But.

“How can I believe Kariel wrote this?”

“A parent would know, wouldn’t they?”

“What nonsense is this?”

Even as he spoke, Lueld suddenly fell silent.

A parent would know?

He examined the paper again.

“…”

How could he know?

“Lord Lueld. May I have it for a moment, please?”

“…Here.”

Taking the paper, Hamern stroked it for a moment.

“It’s… indeed his. It’s definitely written by him.”

“Are you certain?”

“When I was investigating Kariel under the teacher’s orders, I familiarized myself with his handwriting with Lady Ermina’s permission, just in case. So I’m certain. And… this was written less than a few hours ago. That’s also definite.”

This interpretation was possible because of his nature as an elf with an affinity for nature, possessing a special ability to communicate with it.

Since paper is made from trees or grass, there was no reason why a forest-dwelling race with such affinity couldn’t interpret it.

Especially someone like Hamern, who appeared to be a pure-blooded elf on the surface, whether he was half or quarter didn’t matter much.

Just as some high elves aren’t born with certain aptitudes or talents.

Even if Hamern was a quarter-elf, there was no reason he couldn’t have inherited strong elven characteristics.

“I see.”

However.

Lueld was shocked for a different reason.

Handwriting?

Come to think of it, had he ever properly seen Kariel’s writing?

When that child was young, he used to write all sorts of letters.

Even when he was a hostage moving from place to place… he wrote and sent so many.

How much he and Ermina had worried over those, how much they had…

“Lord Lueld?”

“Can you estimate the exact time it was written?”

“No. Unfortunately not.”

“So we’re back to square one.”

Lueld stared at Rupert and asked.

“Where is Kariel?”

“I know the content of the message. Yet, you still won’t consider it?”

“I’ll decide after seeing his face. It’s not too late then.”

“What makes you so anxious? Do you not trust the son you gave birth to?”

“That’s… not something for you to casually discuss or judge.”

“The shadow of the Demon Lord seems quite threatening to you.”

“That’s enough.”

Dyke interjected.

“Provoking us like this instead of cooperating won’t benefit you. Don’t you agree?”

“And why wouldn’t it benefit me?”

At that, Lueld bluntly asked.

“Do you want to die?”

It wasn’t a threat.

It was more like a direct question to someone who might be suicidal, asking if they desired death.

“I wonder how things might have been if that intelligence of yours… had been equally applied to your family.”

“You won’t answer willingly?”

“I can’t answer what I don’t know.”

As you can see.

Rupert opened his eyes and said.

“I can’t see. Your son took my eyes as punishment. And I accept it as the just price I had to pay, without harboring even a shred of discontent or resentment.”

“You…”

“Even if you torture me or do whatever you want, I can’t tell what I don’t know. I closed my ears in anticipation of this.”

Why was I here?

“Even so, that’s not reason enough to let you go.”

“That’s fine. I’m willing to cooperate as much as I can.”

My role within the Relief Knights has long been completed.

While an intelligence agent took custody of Rupert,

Lueld continued to spread his mana, intensely focused on his search.

Despite combing through most of the city again and again,

He simply couldn’t locate Kariel.

“If he hasn’t left the city, there’s still a chance.”

“There must be a reason you kept me here, stalling for time.”

If he didn’t openly traverse the city to escape,

It meant he was either in the sky or underground…

At that moment,

Lueld’s senses detected an unknown yet somehow familiar energy.

“This is…?”

“Hmm?”

Dyke also furrowed his brow as if sensing something strange, but he didn’t seem to have identified it yet.

“I’ll move ahead.”

“What?”

As Lueld disappeared as if casting a teleportation spell,

Only Dyke and Hamern remained in the alley.

“This is perplexing.”

“How many reasons can you think of that would make Lord Lueld move so urgently?”

Despite Dyke’s embarrassment, Hamern calmly tried to reassess the situation.

“Either he spotted Kariel, or he sensed some danger that required his immediate attention… I can’t figure it out.”

“That makes sense. But… is there anyone who could pose a threat to Lord Lueld?”

Dyke couldn’t think of a single example.

He had met several dragons, but even those beings held a mixture of awe and fear toward Lueld.

…Who would dare to confront him, if not the great Golden Dragon?

“Dyke. Your assumption is valid. But there is one exception. The being that appeared while we were heading directly to Paceran is that exception.”

A presence that felt ominous, transcendent, and catastrophic.

On the surface, it appeared to be a fragile girl or woman.

But it was… something of a different caliber.

If Lueld hadn’t been there… both the teacher and Hamern himself would have been annihilated without even being able to lift a finger.

And as if to prove this, that being held out against Lueld for over two hours.

…That’s why Teacher Geornia, sensing something was wrong, traveled to Paceran without sleep, forcing her horse to the limit, even desperately using magic to restore energy.

The reason Lueld didn’t go ahead was because that woman appeared two more times afterward, firmly blocking their path.

If she had appeared before Geornia and Hamern instead of Lueld?

That’s why Lueld couldn’t go ahead.

And.

As absurd as it sounds, that became a time of rest for the horses, if not for them.

Around that time, both Hamern and Geornia began to feel an unsettling dissonance.

Why didn’t the animals feel threatened by that being?

And in a different location here.

The only royal castle in Paceran.

Delica and Cain, detained in a guest room there, witnessed a dimensional door opening right before them.

*Thud!*

And the door to their room was kicked open around the same time.

Elhermina and Alesia burst into the room.