Chapter 71: Proof of Corruption

Chapter 71. Proof of Corruption

The sky had already turned completely dark by the time the four remaining heroes reached the Light Temple.

Elia’s carriage rolled through the enormous white gates first, its wheels clicking softly over the pale stone road. Golden lanterns illuminated towering marble pillars on both sides, while statues of saints and ancient Light Magi watched over the courtyard with the kind of serene expressions only statues could maintain after thousands of years of human stupidity.

Behind the carriage came Darius, Garr, and Raven.

None of them were magi, so unlike Rey, they had been forced to make the entire journey by road.

Darius rode a large white warhorse, while Garr’s was a muscular dark brown one built to carry his massive frame. Raven rode a black warhorse that blended almost perfectly into the night.

The three followed behind Elia’s carriage in silence.

Normally, the three men would have talked during the journey.

Garr would complain.

Darius would argue.

Raven would contribute one unpleasant sentence every twenty minutes and somehow make everyone want to punch him.

Tonight, however, almost nothing had been said.

The hunt remained lodged in all their minds.

The Light Temple was the closest of their respective headquarters to the capital, so they had agreed to remain there overnight before separating tomorrow.

Priestesses were already waiting when they arrived.

The moment Elia stepped from her carriage, several bowed deeply. "Welcome back, Saintess."

Elia gave only a small nod. "Prepare rooms for Lord Darius, Garr, and Raven."

"Yes, Saintess."

"And something to eat."

"The evening meal has already been prepared."

That was all.

Everyone was too exhausted.

They entered through the western hall rather than the grand sanctuary, passing beneath enormous stained-glass windows depicting the defeat of ancient demons. Light crystals embedded in the walls illuminated their path until they reached one of the temple’s private dining chambers.

Food already covered the table.

Roasted meat.

Fresh bread.

Vegetables.

Soup.

Wine.

Under ordinary circumstances, Garr would have attacked the table like it had personally insulted his mother.

Tonight, even he sat quietly.

Elia took her usual seat near the head of the table.

Darius sat beside her.

Raven chose the farthest chair because Raven apparently believed sitting normally with other human beings damaged his assassin credentials.

Garr dropped heavily into another seat.

Several servants moved forward to serve them.

Elia raised her hand. "Leave us."

They stopped.

"We can serve ourselves."

The women exchanged glances before bowing.

"As you wish."

The doors closed behind them.

Silence followed.

For several moments, the only sound was silverware against plates. Then Raven spoke. "He’s not normal."

Garr stopped chewing.

Darius looked toward him.

Raven’s expression remained cold. "That man is still insane. Whatever we saw today must be the curse."

Garr leaned backward. "He’s more cunning than he used to be."

That earned him a glance from Darius.

Garr’s jaw tightened. "And his power... Rey never had anything like that before. Those monsters changed right in front of us. Their bodies twisted. I’ve fought corrupted beasts before, but that wasn’t normal corruption."

Raven gave a humorless scoff. "He turned humans into monsters."

The room went quiet.

Nobody needed clarification.

Darius placed his cup down. "It’s confirmed he’s already corrupted."

Elia’s fingers tightened slightly around her spoon.

Darius continued. "The Dark Lord’s curse may have already taken over his soul and core. That would explain why his magic changed and why he can manipulate monsters like that."

Garr frowned. "But he still talks normally."

"That proves nothing."

Darius’s expression hardened. "My conclusion hasn’t changed. It’s advanced insanity. Maybe worse." He leaned forward. "Rey could be closer to becoming the next Dark Lord than any of us realized."

Elia remained silent.

Her gaze lowered toward the soup she hadn’t touched.

The next Dark Lord.

Rey had been calculating.

Focused.

Angry, certainly.

Cruel? Perhaps.

But there had been intention behind everything.

Even when he’d appeared before her and softly spoken her name...

Now, what remained most clearly in her memory was his face when he whispered to her afterward.

’I’m not your Rey’.

Elia finally spoke. "If the Dark Lord’s corruption completely took him, then he shouldn’t be able to use Light Mana."

Three pairs of eyes shifted toward her.

Darius frowned.

"The king’s signet." Elia slowly raised her gaze. "I felt the mana inside it. So did the royal appraiser. It was pure Light Mana."

Nobody answered.

"And during the hunt," she continued, "Rey used Light Mana against us."

Garr’s brow furrowed.

Elia shook her head. "The Dark Lord couldn’t do that. His corruption consumed other attributes. But Rey can still use all six elements."

The same impossible versatility that had once made Rey Valen the Royal Magus.

Except now every element looked different.

Garr grunted. "The mystery doesn’t stop there." He poured himself more wine. "Our spies reported the same things."

Elia looked toward him.

Garr’s expression darkened. "They said his curse was getting worse. They reported pain, instability, strange behavior, isolation. Yet the man we fought today..." He paused. "He acted differently."

Darius’s eyes narrowed.

"Why?"

Raven tore a piece of bread. "Clearly, he covered it up."

Darius immediately looked toward him. "How can you be so sure?"

Raven’s gaze sharpened. "I don’t know about yours, but Assassins Valley spies are loyal and competent."

"Whatever," Darius said. "It doesn’t change our situation." He lowered his voice. "We need to do something before Rey decides to tell people what happened during the war."

That finally made Raven look directly at him. "Again, that’s your problem."

Darius laughed once.

There was no humor in it.

"My problem? You tried to assassinate him, Raven."

Raven’s expression froze.

"You sent six people. They disappeared. Then today you openly attacked him in front of all of us." Darius leaned closer. "We’re in the same position now."

Raven’s eyes became dangerously cold.

For once, however, he had no immediate answer.

Because Darius was right.

The lines separating their individual conflicts with Rey had disappeared.

Garr had attacked him.

Raven had tried to assassinate him.

Darius had joined the battle.

Elia had been there.

And Rey knew things.

Far too many things.

Not merely about today.

About the war.

About the Dark Lord’s final battle.

About decisions made while entire kingdoms were collapsing.

About who ran.

Who stayed.

Who blamed whom afterward.

A man carrying those truths was dangerous.

A sane Rey Valen might be even more dangerous than an insane one.

Elia suddenly placed her spoon down.

The soft click cut through the room.

"Guys."

Nobody interrupted her.

"We already agreed."

Her voice was quieter than theirs, but it carried across the table easily.

"We need to take control of him."

Darius studied her.

Garr stopped drinking.

Even Raven’s attention sharpened.

Elia slowly folded her hands together.

"Trying to kill Rey isn’t working."

A faint shadow crossed Darius’s expression.

That was an understatement.

Elia continued before he could respond.

"Every attempt only gives him another reason to see us as enemies. Today proved that attacking him directly is dangerous."

Garr looked particularly offended by that observation.

He couldn’t deny it.

"We also don’t understand his new magic," Elia said. "We don’t understand why his curse symptoms disappeared. We don’t know how he’s transforming spells, how he altered those monsters, or why he can still use Light Mana."

Her gaze moved between them.

"We know less about Rey now than we did before the hunt."

That was the uncomfortable truth.

For years, they’d believed they understood Rey Valen.

Today, that image had shattered.

Darius rubbed his thumb against the edge of his cup. "So what are you suggesting?"

Elia hesitated.

Her thoughts betrayed her immediately.

Rey’s voice.

His eyes.

His rejection in the corridor.

Pain flickered across her expression before she buried it.

"Capture him if necessary."

Raven’s eyebrow lifted. "Capture Rey Valen."

"Yes."

"You make that sound remarkably easy."

"I didn’t say it would be easy."

Garr crossed his arms. "And afterward?"

Elia hesitated only briefly. "We’ll use the Holy Relic on him."

The atmosphere around the table changed.

Even Raven’s expression sharpened.

Elia continued, "The relic can detect Dark Power within someone’s soul and mana core. If Rey truly has been corrupted by the Dark Lord’s curse, we’ll finally have undeniable proof. We just need to make it public."

"And if it finds corruption?" Garr asked.

"Then it can suppress and control that power."

Darius immediately frowned. "That will be dangerous."

"I know."

"No, Elia. You know what that relic does when it encounters powerful corruption. If Rey’s core has truly changed, forcing the relic onto him could trigger a reaction."

Elia’s expression hardened. "It will be more dangerous if we wait until he gets stronger."

That silenced Darius.

Elia folded her hands together on the table.

"A few months ago, Rey could barely use mana without collapsing from his curse. Look at what happened today."

Nobody had an answer.

"If his new power is truly connected to the Dark Lord," she continued, "then waiting only gives it more time to grow. We use the Holy Relic while we still have a chance to restrain him."