Chapter 248: Common Enemy.

As Nasha's words fell, the atmosphere inside the carriage turned icy, and a murderous tension filled the air.

Seriu straightened his back and tightened his grip on the demonic sword, meeting Nasha's gaze without a trace of expression.

Seeing the two of them on the verge of a confrontation, Hector hurriedly spoke up.

"W-wait! Nasha, aren't you a princess of the Dalia Empire? How did you suddenly become a princess of the Pedam Kingdom?"

"Exactly!" Siti gently placed a hand on Nasha's shoulder and tried to soothe her. "Don't get worked up just yet. Maybe there's been some misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding could there possibly be?" Nasha fiercely wiped the tears from her face. "Every last Cecilian deserves to die!"

The Pedam Kingdom had been invaded by the Kingdom of Cecilia without provocation. Its people had been murdered, its towns massacred, and its royal capital conquered. Countless citizens had been driven from their homes.

Nasha had become the princess of a fallen kingdom, forced to shoulder the burden of revenge at a tender age.

For years, she'd barely been able to sleep. Whenever she thought of her father and mother, whose fates remained unknown, the anguish was almost unbearable.

And just moments ago, when she'd learned that Seriu was a prince of Cecilia, it had felt as though her very soul had caught fire. Hatred and fury had surged through her chest, so overwhelming that she'd nearly lunged at him to fight to the death.

Shu Li glanced at Nasha, who looked like a goddess of vengeance, then at the silent Seriu.

He attempted to smooth things over.

"Nasha, calm down. At least hear what Seriu has to say first."

If Seriu was a Cecilian prince, why had the Black Knights been hunting him eighteen years ago? And why was he now unable to leave the Central Court?

If the Light Squad hadn't asked Seriu to help register their adventuring team and then accepted a gathering assignment near the Central Court, he never would have accompanied them.

He was meticulous, decisive, outwardly cold but warmhearted. He'd been fighting in the arena since childhood to earn money, and he kept to himself without the slightest trace of princely arrogance.

He could easily have passed for a commoner.

Shu Li believed that before condemning someone, they ought to hear the person's explanation and then make a fair judgment.

Nasha took a deep breath, suppressed the hatred boiling inside her, and sat back down.

She fixed Seriu with an icy stare.

"Fine. Let's hear what excuses you have."

"Excuses?" Seriu smiled bitterly. "Although I am a prince of Cecilia, I'm also the person who hates its current king more than anyone."

"Why? Aren't you and the current king father and son?" Hector asked, confused.

"Father and son?"

Hatred flashed across Seriu's face.

"No. Danton Trik isn't my father. He's the man who murdered my parents!"

"What?" Siti gasped. "What on earth happened?"

Seriu raised his head toward the carriage ceiling, struggling to hold back the tears gathering in his eyes.

After a long silence, he collected his thoughts and revealed his past to his companions.

"I'm the son of the previous king. The current king, Danton Trik, is my uncle. Eighteen years ago, he suddenly staged a coup. He led a group of knights in black armor into the royal palace and murdered my father and mother..."

Fourteen-year-old Seriu had hidden behind a pillar while Halis covered his mouth, forced to watch helplessly as his parents collapsed in pools of blood.

The Black Knights had raised their swords and slaughtered every minister and noble who opposed Danton.

Only when there was no one left to resist did they finally lower their bloodstained blades.

Blood flowed through the royal capital, and cries of anguish filled the streets.

Escorted by Halis and his personal guards, Seriu had escaped through an underground passage beneath the palace.

His elder sister, Cecil, who was four years older than him, happened to be visiting a neighboring kingdom at the time and had escaped the massacre.

After successfully usurping the throne, Danton immediately issued warrants for both Seriu and Cecil.

The Hemon Knights hunted the siblings across the entire continent.

Throughout Seriu's desperate flight, his guards had fought courageously to protect him, sacrificing their lives one after another.

In the end, only his magic instructor, Halis, remained.

But Halis was badly wounded and poisoned, barely clinging to life. He had almost reached the end of his strength.

Unwilling to surrender, Seriu had decided to risk entering the Faerie Forest and asking the Elven King to return the Sword of Carlos.

His history teacher had once told him that during the War of the Gods ten thousand years earlier, the Elven King had borrowed the Sword of Carlos.

After the war ended, the sword had vanished without a trace.

Seriu's reasoning had been simple.

Since the Elven King had borrowed it, surely it must still be in his possession.

If Seriu could meet the Elven King and reclaim the Sword of Carlos, he would have the power to return openly to Cecilia and take revenge on Danton.

Unfortunately, reality had been far crueler than his hopes.

The Black Knights had pursued them into the Faerie Forest and nearly killed them both.

Seriu turned to Shu Li.

"At the time, I had nowhere left to run. All I could think about was surviving. I didn't know you were resting in the bird's nest above us. I'm sorry we disturbed you."

"Uh..."

Shu Li waved his hands.

"You don't need to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. The Black Knights hunting you were the ones at fault. They're the real culprits."

So Seriu had been that fleeing prince.

What a tragic past!

He'd witnessed his own parents being murdered by his uncle, while he and his sister had become wanted fugitives.

No wonder he'd previously said he couldn't leave the Central Court. He'd been hiding from the Black Knights.

When he'd learned that the Light Squad had accepted a gathering assignment in Woba Grand Canyon, he'd initially tried to stop them.

Later, however, he'd changed his mind and decided to accompany them.

Apparently, he'd been worried that this group of Mage Apprentices would encounter danger, so he'd risked his own life to protect them.

Although Seriu was the academy's stern, unsmiling disciplinary officer, he was actually a very gentle person at heart.

"You were very brave," Shu Li told him earnestly. "I saw everything from my hiding place in the bird's nest that day. When the magic instructor protecting you was gravely injured and lost consciousness, you didn't back down. You raised your sword and fought with everything you had. It's just that the Black Knights were too powerful. They sent you flying, and you lost consciousness when you struck something."

Seriu lowered his head in embarrassment.

"I didn't like studying when I was younger. I thought my natural talent was enough, so I often skipped lessons. My swordsmanship was terrible."

After arriving at the Central Court, he'd thrown himself into his studies with almost obsessive determination, constantly pushing himself to improve.

Halis often nagged him to relax occasionally.

But how could he possibly relax?

As long as his parents remained unavenged, he had no right to rest.

Seriu looked at the stunned Nasha and spoke frankly.

"That's my explanation. If you still believe I deserve to die, then... please wait until I've killed Danton before challenging me to a duel."

He didn't believe he'd wronged Nasha.

If she wanted revenge, she'd chosen the wrong target.

But if she insisted on killing him, then they could settle the matter through a duel, with their lives at stake.

Nasha bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes.

After hearing Seriu's story, she lowered her head apologetically.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let hatred blind me."

Judging from how he'd handled the incident involving Lu Weixi, Seriu was an upright, principled man.

She shouldn't have condemned him without first understanding the circumstances.

It turned out he was a victim too.

How much pain must he have endured, watching his parents murdered by an uncle who'd seized their throne?

"I understand how you feel," Seriu said. "There was a time when hatred tormented me every day. I refused to speak to anyone. Later, someone told me that life holds many beautiful things besides hatred, and that we should cherish them while we can. Otherwise, once they're gone, we may never get them back."

Nasha clenched her hands.

After reflecting for a moment, she slowly nodded.

"You're right."

Hatred could rob people of their judgment, driving them to make terrible decisions and ultimately leading them down a dangerous path.

Hector suddenly clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention.

"Danton Trik is the real culprit! He's the enemy you both have in common."

He pointed at Nasha and Seriu.

"Since you both want revenge, why don't you join forces?"

"Join forces?"

Nasha and Seriu exchanged surprised glances.

"Hector's right!" Siti snapped her fingers. "As your friend, I, Siti Est, princess of the Serix Empire, am willing to help you!"

"So am I," Hector said, raising his hand.

Although he currently had nothing to his name, sooner or later he would return to the Snowo family and reclaim everything that rightfully belonged to him!

"And us!"

The little Fairies and the young dragon raised their hands as well.

"The Light Squad is one team! We have to stand together, help each other, and face every hardship side by side!"

Shu Li looked toward Ace, the only person who hadn't expressed an opinion yet.

Noticing his gaze, Ace spoke calmly.

"We previously discussed how closely Danton Trik works with the Hemon Knights. They're clearly in league with each other. The Hemon Knights belong to the Hodehe Temple and are genuine followers of darkness. Following that reasoning, Danton Trik must have sold his soul to the Dark God long ago. Murdering his brother and usurping the throne, invading other countries, expanding his territory—all of it is preparation for the Dark God's return to the Human World."

"Has he gone mad?" Siti asked incredulously. "Does he actually want to betray humanity?"

Ace lowered his gaze.

"Every human heart contains both light and darkness. Those whose wills are weak are the easiest for darkness to corrupt. Otherwise, why would anyone willingly sink into depravity and become an evil necromancer?"

Shu Li nodded in agreement.

"During the War of the Gods, many human necromancers fought for the Dark God."

He'd traveled back ten thousand years and witnessed two enormous battles.

The human necromancers in the dark army had commanded countless skeletons, carrying out massacres on a horrifying scale.

The carnage had been unbearable to witness.

Seriu clenched his fists and spoke hoarsely.

"I could never understand why Danton would be so ruthless as to murder his own elder brother. So that's why... He's the Dark God's lackey."

How terrifying!

Those corrupted by dark power became utterly deranged. They hardly deserved to be called human anymore.

Kumandi said gravely, "According to our earlier deductions, Danton Trik has another objective: obtaining the Five Swords."

"The demonic swords!"

Hector, Siti, and Nasha all turned toward the Sword of Viona in Seriu's hands.

"That's right," Shu Li said. "The demonic swords can seal the Dark God, but they can also open the gates of hell."

He looked at Nasha.

"Was the Sword of Itno part of your mother's dowry?"

Nasha's face went pale.

"Y-yes."

Was that why the Pedam Kingdom had been destroyed?

To start a war and annihilate an entire kingdom for the sake of a single demonic sword...

How utterly inhuman!

"Forgive me for asking," Shu Li continued, "but do you have the Sword of Itno?"

"N-no, I don't."

Nasha shook her head distractedly.

"On the first day of the invasion, my mother sent someone away with the Sword of Itno. I don't know where it is now."

Angel sighed.

"So another demonic sword has gone missing."

Hector asked in confusion, "Why do you say 'another'?"

Angel counted on his fingers.

"We have the Sword of Viona, the Sword of Borshug is in the Dalia Empire, the Sword of Carlos and the Sword of Araser are missing, and nobody knows where the Sword of Itno is. Collecting all five demonic swords isn't going to be easy."

"Um..."

Siti rubbed her cheeks, looking hesitant.

"Well... actually, I know who has the Sword of Araser."

The moment she finished speaking, every head turned toward her.

"Who?" Shu Li asked.

Under everyone's scrutiny, Siti shrank back slightly.

She grabbed Falm, who was lying on the table staring into space out of boredom, and held him up in front of herself.

Falm waved his short, chubby paws in bewilderment.

"What? What are you doing?"

Siti stroked his back a few times, then put him down.

"As everyone knows, the Kingdom of Lodran fell five hundred years ago, and the Sword of Araser disappeared along with it. But what the world doesn't know is that the Lodran royal bloodline has survived to this day."

Hector pointed at her in astonishment.

"Don't tell me you're descended from the Lodran royal family!"

"Correct!"

Siti patted his shoulder with a beaming smile.

"Very clever!"

Hector's eyebrows twitched.

Dixio asked eagerly, "So does that mean you have the Sword of Araser?"

"No, no. I'm not qualified to wield a demonic sword," Siti explained. "My uncle has the Sword of Araser. He's the rightful heir to the royal line."

Of course, the Kingdom of Lodran no longer existed, so her uncle possessed a title without any actual authority.

"Where is your uncle now?" Shu Li asked expectantly.

"In the St. Nia Mountains, where the Winged People live," Siti answered.

"Before my mother died, she told me that after the Kingdom of Lodran fell, the Winged People took the Sword of Araser to the great St. Nia Mountains.

"They demanded that a descendant of the Lodran royal family attain the rank of Sword Saint before being allowed to reclaim the demonic sword.

"Over the past five hundred years, the royal family trained ten swordsmen, but unfortunately, none progressed beyond the rank of Grand Swordmaster.

"Forty years ago, my grandfather sent my uncle, who was five at the time, to the St. Nia Mountains to study under a Winged Sword Sovereign.

"My uncle vowed that he wouldn't descend the mountain until he'd become a Sword Saint."

Everyone finally understood.

No wonder the Sword of Araser had vanished without a trace for five hundred years.

The Winged People had been hiding it in the St. Nia Mountains all along!

The St. Nia Mountains were immense, stretching across the eastern part of the continent and cutting off the Serix Empire from the other countries.

It seemed that obtaining the Sword of Araser would require a journey to those mountains.

"How many descendants of the Lodran royal family are still alive?" Kumandi asked.

He'd switched to another notebook and was recording the locations of the demonic swords.

Siti held up three fingers, thought for a moment, then raised a fourth.

"Me, my grandfather, my uncle, and... my stepmother."

"Stepmother?" Amanda asked innocently. "Is that another word for the queen?"

"No."

Siti pressed a hand to her forehead.

"She's actually my aunt. After my mother died, before her body was even cold, my aunt started carrying on with my father. Tch!"

She turned her face away, too ashamed to say any more.

Nasha took her hand comfortingly.

"Don't be sad."

"I'm not sad at all!" Siti replied nonchalantly. "It's not as though she can cause any real trouble. I'm my father's only child. Once I become queen, she'll be falling over herself to curry favor with me!"

Shu Li sighed inwardly.

Even this seemingly carefree girl carried countless wounds in her heart. Her outward optimism was merely a shield she used to protect herself.

Kumandi drew two swords on the page and labeled them.

"Now we only need to determine the whereabouts of the Sword of Carlos and the Sword of Itno."

Seriu returned the demonic sword to Shu Li and said solemnly, "Give me some time. I'll find the Sword of Carlos."

Shu Li accepted it and put it back into his storage ring.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," Seriu replied gravely. "After all, I am a prince of Cecilia."

"All right. Then we'll leave the Sword of Carlos to you."

Shu Li addressed everyone.

"We have to gather all five demonic swords before Danton Trik makes his move."

They absolutely could not allow the demonic swords to fall into the hands of the dark forces and become the keys that would open the gates of hell.

Nasha hesitated before speaking.

"As for the Sword of Itno... my brother might know where it is."

Hector looked astonished.

"You have a brother?"

Nasha nodded gently.

"Yes. My brother and I fled the royal capital separately. It's been eight years, and I haven't heard anything from him since."

A sudden realization flashed through Shu Li's mind.

"So when you posted an assignment at the Adventurers' Guild, it was because you were searching for your brother?"

Nasha answered frankly.

"Yes."