Ch.6565. The Griffin’s Phantom

“Have you come to save your siblings?”

Darius was perplexed about how to answer Archmage Rockpellican’s question.

Should he stand by his convictions, or should he blurt out excuses mixed with lies?

Honestly, his heart was leaning toward the latter, but his mouth wouldn’t cooperate.

“Yes.”

It was essentially admitting to committing treason. Even after speaking, Darius blamed himself for his foolishness, but Rockpellican instead let out a hollow laugh, seeming satisfied.

“I like your boldness. You resemble your father Damos, who was once a giant of the north.”

Swoosh.

As Rockpellican lowered his staff, Darius fell from the wall, coughing.

Outside the wall, the trio was asking if he was alright, but he wasn’t in a position to answer.

“Are those your companions? Good. I’ll let them in for now.”

“What?”

Darius couldn’t understand the situation at all, but at Rockpellican’s chin gesture urging him to get on with it, he quietly secured the rope.

The trio quickly climbed over the wall and entered.

“Huh?!”

“What’s this?”

“Did you sell us out?!”

The startled trio tried to confront Darius, but they could only open and close their mouths like fish, unable to get any response.

The Archmage’s magic had blocked all their sounds. Their shouting in this sudden situation looked almost like a play.

Rockpellican gestured to the now-quiet trio and answered.

“Follow me. I’ll take you to the two of them.”

* * *

King Orpheus was still sitting in the secret royal chamber, turning the pages of a journal.

His gloomy mood was flickering and wavering violently like the candle flame in the candlestick beside him.

The tear stains and bloodshot eyes from reading the journal containing stories starting from the roots of the Griffin royal family testified to his fatigue.

With each page he turned, his heart trembled, and nausea rose from guilt and disgust.

As someone who strongly criticized the inhumane acts taking place in the Republic of Clark, it was shameful to realize he was no better.

It was especially shocking to learn that they had most severely oppressed fellow Black Mages because they didn’t want it known that their country was founded by a Black Mage.

A true abyss.

Just when he thought it couldn’t get worse, turning a few more pages would reveal even more diabolical ideas.

One thing he strongly felt was the obsession with the position of royalty.

Was it because they came from Black Mages who were despised and ostracized?

Or was there an ambition and stubbornness for power in their bloodline from the beginning?

Over time, even as the author changed, a kind of delusion remained—a strong sense of dedicating everything to preserving the name of the royal family.

Like…

‘Like mother.’

The more he read, the more Orpheus was reminded of his mother who was excessively obsessed with royalty.

Because he was educated by Rockpellican, he wasn’t manipulated by him, but his sister Elenoa had suffered terribly under their mother Hairan.

That’s why Orpheus and Elenoa had a rebellious attitude toward formal royal protocols despite being royalty.

“Sigh.”

His eyes stung with fatigue. Even amid the crushing guilt, King Orpheus was slowly returning to his former self.

It was confusing, disgusting, and infuriatingly unpleasant, but…

“Responsibility cannot be avoided.”

Yes, ultimately all this responsibility was an unavoidable task that the current royal family had to bear.

“I’m sorry, Deus.”

He quietly apologized to Deus whom he had imprisoned.

Despite knowing all these truths, Deus had kept his mouth shut until Orpheus asked.

Even though he held a divine punishment that could bring down the Griffin Kingdom, he didn’t use it.

At the time, Orpheus had arrested him to silence him, thinking he needed to protect the royal family first, but…

The more he thought about it, the more he realized Deus was truly worthy of being called a loyal subject.

Orpheus slowly stood up.

Although it was late dawn, he intended to go and order Deus’s release, but…

BANG!

The door suddenly slammed shut.

Despite there being no wind, the candle was snuffed out as if its neck had been bitten.

“Hmm?”

Wondering what was happening, he concentrated mana in his hand to create light, when…

[Foolish one.]

A black face loomed in the light.

Startled, King Orpheus backed away without even screaming.

But the black face followed him.

The faint horns on its forehead looked like those of an underdeveloped demon, and its protruding teeth and misty body intensified the ominousness.

[How many ages I have built this dynasty, yet you try to destroy it in a single day.]

“Wh-what are you?!”

In his panic, he waved his hand, but it merely passed through the entity without offering any resistance.

The black face with its demon-like form opened its mouth. In contrast to its large mouth, its voice was low and whispering, giving the feeling of dozens of insects crawling into one’s ear.

[The master of this land.]

“…What?”

The eerie voice changed tone, becoming high-pitched and neurotic, like that of a woman.

Moreover…

The black face gradually began to take shape, becoming someone familiar to Orpheus.

“M-mother?”

The black face, now bearing the visage of Hairan Luden Griffin, cackled and answered.

[I am your mother.]

Then it changed to another face.

The deeply wrinkled, dignified face of his idol.

[Your father.]

The face changed again.

This time it was someone deeply embedded in his memory.

[Your great-grandfather.]

Then it returned to its original black face. It declared as if it were the most natural thing:

[I am Griffin itself, continuing hundreds of years of history.]

“You…!”

The journal spanning hundreds of years that seemed written by a single person.

The obsession with royalty bordering on madness.

King Orpheus could immediately realize.

This entity was the source of all evil.

The demonic-minded ancestor of the Griffin line.

[And now.]

CRACK.

A huge mouth opened.

A hideous set of teeth and a thick, indulgent tongue swirled out toward Orpheus.

[Now I am you.]

“…!”

He couldn’t resist.

Orpheus was devoured by it, and after struggling convulsively a few times, black smoke emanated from his entire body before he stabilized.

Then he stood up abruptly, cracked his neck, grinned, and said:

“What ghost has crawled out from where?”

[…!]

And then he addressed the Dark Spiritmaster who had been watching this entire situation—uniquely, a master now following his disciple’s orders.

“The palace is no place for vermin-like evil spirits like you.”

As Orpheus extended his hand, intense mana was projected to strangle the Dark Spiritmaster, but…

[V-vermin?!]

The Dark Spiritmaster, now able to handle his own mana thanks to Deus’s help, barely defended himself before escaping through the wall.

“Tsk.”

The resistance was stronger than expected, but it didn’t matter.

He was already dead anyway.

And even if he returned to his master, the result would be the same.

BANG!

“Whew!”

Orpheus opened the door and stepped outside, taking a deep breath. No matter how many times he experienced it, the sensation of being alive felt good.

Striding down the left corridor, Orpheus emerged into the garden outside the palace.

The soldiers on guard immediately saluted upon seeing him, but…

“Inform the Captain of the Royal Guard, the Mage Inquisitor, and the Archmage to enter the palace immediately.”

Orpheus grinned and said:

“We will execute the criminal who has insulted the royal family.”

* * *

“Wow, I thought I was going to die from the cold.”

Deia, who had been shivering, excitedly celebrates as clothes finally arrive. I had given her my jacket, but since she was wearing pajamas, she still looked cold.

“Avert your eyes.”

I immediately warn the trio from the junkyard who are staring intently at Deia as she’s about to change clothes, and they duck their heads in alarm.

How dare they stare so brazenly.

“Heh.”

Deia looks at me and smiles slightly, seemingly pleased, then heads to a corner of the prison.

“You can still see me like this? Come shield me.”

Deia pulls me along and hides behind me as she takes off her pajamas. It’s quite an unexpected situation, but to shield my sister’s nakedness, I stand with my shoulders squared and a stern expression, facing the Archmage, Darius, and the junkyard trio who have come.

“I clearly said I would consider it.”

The King hasn’t even given his answer yet, and breaking out on your own wasn’t part of my plan.

I say this with a frown, and Rockpellican avoids my gaze, evading an answer.

As for Darius, while I appreciate him coming to rescue me and Deia, the situation is turning strange, so he’s just watching cautiously.

I was about to say something when Deia’s bare leg pokes out from beside me. She’s standing on one foot, leaning her back against me as she puts on pants.

“Have some modesty.”

The words I was going to direct at Darius and Rockpellican get redirected to Deia.

“Hmm? That’s rich coming from you.”

“…”

“Try living with two men who aren’t like brothers. You’d be the same.”

My mouth closes again when she says that. Only Deia knows that I’m not really Deus.

I should tell Darius later too, but now isn’t the time.

Anyway, Deia emerges fully dressed. Seeing the belt with a mana pistol attached, it seems she really did risk her life coming to Greyfond.

I was about to tell her to return everything and wait again, but…

[B-big trouble!]

The Dark Spiritmaster bursts through the wall, making a fuss. I had assigned him to watch over King Orpheus.

Seeing him like this, has the King made some decision?

But the answer that came back exceeded my imagination.

An evil spirit hidden deep within the Griffin Kingdom that had possessed the bodies of past kings.

And now it had taken over Orpheus’s body.

It was beyond absurd; it was dumbfounding.

‘This backstory was hidden?’

This content wasn’t in the Retry game. But thinking about it, it’s more accurate to say I couldn’t have known.

‘It’s not like we had a Black Mage in the party.’

The Saintess was only a temporary party member, so she wasn’t part of the party during activities in Greyfond.

“Tsk, so we came for nothing?”

The others in the group, unable to hear the Dark Spiritmaster, were looking at me with strange expressions.

Darius wore a disgruntled expression, wondering if we should go back, and Rockpellican was still awkwardly avoiding eye contact, but…

“No.”

I put on the jacket Deia handed me and stepped out of the cell.

“The situation has changed.”

Heavy footsteps approached from outside.

Knights in red armor file into the prison.

They are surprised to see Rockpellican here, but…

Soon after, a woman walks forward with an air that commands all confusion.

Though she was the shortest and smallest among the armored knights…

She stood at the pinnacle of the royal direct Royal Guard.

Captain of the Royal Guard, Gloria Grace.

The kingdom’s sharpest sword, who could fight on par with Mage Inquisitor Tyrn Ol Velocus.

With her red hair flowing, she glared at me with sharp eyes and said:

“Criminal who has insulted the royal family, vile Black Mage, Deus Verdi. His Majesty has ordered the Royal Guard to execute the criminal immediately.”

“…How convenient.”

I respond with honest sarcasm, making Gloria’s eyes twitch slightly.

“When called a Black Mage, there’s no trial, and one can’t even expect a fair judgment.”

How is this any different from the witch trials of the old medieval times?

“Well, it doesn’t matter.”

Yes, it didn’t matter at all.

“If you come with unreasonableness, I’ll respond with unreasonable power.”

My steps didn’t falter, and Deia and Darius followed, preparing for battle.

They quickly understood that everyone would die if we didn’t fight.

“Do you think you can escape?”

Gloria drew her sword in disbelief. The Royal Guards simultaneously drew their swords as if performing a choreographed dance.

It seemed difficult to swing such swords in the narrow corridor, but…

That wasn’t even an issue for these capable knights.

But I needed to correct her statement.

“I’m not escaping.”

Somehow, the Lemegeton that the Dark Spiritmaster had brought gleamed with a subtle black light in my palm.

Like a magician holding a card that appeared in the blink of an eye.

I felt as if the cries of evil spirits were echoing from all around.

“Not escaping?”

Taking it as an insult, Gloria gritted her teeth and gripped her sword with both hands, assuming a stance, but…

“I am merely…”

I correct her again.

“Going to have an audience with His Majesty.”