Ch.192Dream (2)

“Wouldn’t it be overflowing?”

The monarch smiles as if asking what I meant.

Well, the two were enemies despite both being villains.

The monarch had an exceptional hatred for cultists.

To the point of hunting dark mages for fun, or deliberately interfering with their plans…

Likewise, the cultists viewed the kingdom and its monarch as thorns in their side.

Among the underworld factions, only the kingdom and Astro rejected them.

In other words, from their perspective, if they could eliminate these two, they could devour the underworld.

There was no reason not to strike first.

“For that reason… it makes sense that they triggered this situation by spreading drugs.”

“Indeed, we must acknowledge their insidious methods. Unlike Rukiye, the kingdom has loose regulations on drugs, making it an easy target.”

“Tsk, I really can’t stand them.”

“…Drugs.”

I fall into thought.

Drugs that render people comatose—there was no such event in the original work.

This must be the butterfly effect from the changes I’ve made to the earlier storylines.

Fortunately, I had some idea about what might be happening.

A name immediately flashed through my mind.

‘Dawn Keeper (L’Attrapeur de l’aube).’

The fourth apostle of the Demon God.

He possessed the ability to manipulate dreams and night.

If my suspicions were correct, the kingdom was facing imminent destruction.

Not only that, but the entire surrounding area would be reduced to ashes.

If we couldn’t resolve this situation…

“……”

“So, are you two the only ones who came to help?”

As I remain silent for a moment, I suddenly feel the monarch’s gaze.

His aged eyes alternate between me and Neria.

His gleaming golden eyes smile meaningfully.

“It’s been a while, Neria.”

A casually tossed greeting.

However, everyone knew it wasn’t simply asking after her well-being.

His expression clearly showed his intention to provoke her.

Neria, whose complexion had been poor all along, clenches her fist.

“That’s enough.”

I intervene between them before a conflict erupts.

I pull the stiffened Neria into my arms.

With half-opened eyes, I glare at the monarch.

A warning that I’ll kill him if he goes any further.

“I’d prefer to avoid unnecessary power struggles.”

“My… not even accepting an old man’s simple greeting.”

“If you continue, the vice-captain might tear you apart.”

“Chilling words. Though I honestly doubt whether that’s possible.”

“If the vice-captain can’t do it, I might step in myself.”

“I’ll certainly decline that option.”

The monarch finally backs down.

I lower the power output I had raised as a threat.

The remnants of specters that burst from the pressure flutter around us.

We exchange glances in momentary silence.

I click my tongue inwardly so no one can hear.

‘This is why I didn’t want to bring her…’

For Neria, the monarch was the very person who had pushed a part of her life into hell.

I didn’t want them to meet or even think about each other if possible.

But situations always force choices and steps to be taken.

Especially in urgent times like now.

-Master, I will accompany you.

-Please don’t worry.

-I’ll be fine.

The personnel distribution was tricky.

Irene needed to stay at the academy to prepare for any contingencies.

Kyle also had to remain at headquarters for a while to stand guard.

Since the kingdom had already been attacked, Astro would likely be their target as well.

Especially the stronger individuals on the Star needed to be cautious about moving.

While I was agonizing over this situation, Neria had readily volunteered to come along.

I try to steady my wavering heart.

‘It should be fine.’

Neria’s role was crucial.

If our opponent was the Dawn Keeper, her power would be the key to resolving this situation.

More precisely, everything depended on the starlight contained within her being… that possibility.

I simply believed in the girl, and in our winter.

After a faint sigh, I change the subject.

“By the way, I don’t see the royal guards.”

“Those children? They have separate missions, so they couldn’t join us.”

“Missions?”

The kingdom.

The underground city was currently in a massive blackout.

Most of the underworld trash were comatose.

Those who remained awake were being devoured by the specters released by the cultists.

That explained the occasional corpses among the people on the streets.

They had eaten the brains of those who didn’t comply and discarded them.

“Someone has to protect those people from the specters, don’t they?”

“You mean… the royal guards are protecting the citizens?”

“Is that so surprising?”

At my unexpected reaction, the monarch bursts into laughter.

He strokes his neat beard and says,

“I am a monarch after all. I must care for the people’s welfare.”

“…I didn’t expect you to care about such things.”

“That seems rather rude.”

“Honestly, I thought you wouldn’t be interested.”

“How can a kingdom exist without its people?”

“That’s a sound principle.”

“Without a foundation, there can be no ceiling.”

The monarch answers calmly.

Looking at him, I recall a conversation we once had.

It was from my last visit to the kingdom.

-You too easily presume to know others’ true feelings.

-But do you know?

-It’s foolish to be certain about others.

-Humans don’t have the ability to read minds, after all.

A somewhat random timing.

Behind the passing moment, another voice continued.

I meet the old man’s still-golden eyes.

He was always someone whose true thoughts were difficult to discern.

“Unknown, Distrust, Injustice… they’re all hunting specters.”

“Given the size of the city, three people would have their limits.”

“But what can I do? I don’t employ those I don’t trust.”

“Isn’t there one more royal guard? Unease, was it? The young man I dealt with last time.”

“If you’re looking for him, I’m afraid he’s dead. Died two days ago. We found his body lying in an alley.”

“That’s… unexpected.”

“He was eaten quite horribly.”

This was quite unexpected news.

I had treated him like an ant being crushed because he was so annoying at the time…

But he was a powerful figure comparable to an academy professor.

One of the kingdom’s top individuals, devoured by mere specters.

“Was it an ambush?”

“I suppose so. He wasn’t particularly weak, after all.”

“The more I hear, the more things start to make sense.”

“You seem to know everything again. As if you know the future.”

“Let’s refrain from unnecessary small talk from now on.”

“Heh… always avoiding the answer.”

Well, it doesn’t matter anyway.

The old man mutters to himself and resumes walking.

I watch him with subdued eyes.

He was an incomprehensible figure no matter how many times I saw him.

He disregards life yet tries to save his people, treats subordinates like consumables yet shows subtle anger at their deaths, commits all sorts of atrocities yet maintains unwavering dignity in his eyes.

The monarch was the most difficult person to understand.

“…Let’s go, Miss Neria.”

“Yes, Master.”

We traversed the pitch-black underground.

***

Meanwhile.

In the central plaza of the kingdom.

Specters of Subek were roaming the streets.

And cutting through them was a certain woman.

A red bride with her face covered by a blood-colored veil.

“.emoc sah emit eht ,em nihtiw speels taht eno ehT”

The woman was praying.

A faint purple light swirled around her neatly folded hands.

Occasionally scattering like powder, remnants of that power.

It was none other than Koshuma, the drug that had taken over the underground city.

Her demure steps crossed between citizens who had departed for dreamland.

A scene reminiscent of a night fairy.

“.krad os ,krad os si thgil on sah taht dlrow a ,hO”

Gulp, gulp-

Before the woman was some kind of mass.

Writhing with a regular rhythm, it resembled a heart at first glance.

Filled with magical power, the purple mass looked like it might explode at any moment.

Her slender fingers caressed the grotesque object as if it were lovable.

Madness flickered in her voice.

“…ssenkrad lanigiro eht dnif dna kcalb ni dekaos eb lliw dlrow eht ,semoc droL eht nehW”

The heart flashed in response.

It was the crystallization of human nightmares.

“.serutaerc yhtrow eht ot thgin gnirB”

Her lips forming the pronunciation glistened ecstatically.

The tears flowing down were like bright red blood.

A nightmare was casting its shadow over the kingdom.