Chapter 242 : Chapter 242

Chapter 242

A ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍maze-like passage stretched endlessly along the marble corridor. At the end of the passage stood a thick, solid black steel door.

Two ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍dragons, symbols of the Eurasia royal house, were carved into the door, and advanced magic had been inscribed upon it—magic whose intense flow of mana could be felt merely by placing a hand against it.

This ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was the private training hall of Simon Eurasia, called the strongest knight on the eastern continent.

Completed ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍during Eurasia's war, it was a space that only Simon Eurasia and Escardo Schtenberg could enter even within the kingdom.

Escardo ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍returned the knights' salutes and placed a hand against the training hall's door.

THOOM.

The door absorbed red mana and opened with a heavy sound.

A space reminiscent of the closed-training wing from the days when Eurasia had been a family revealed itself.

The only light came from a small mercury lamp hanging from the ceiling, and it softly embraced the darkened room, deepening its stillness.

Escardo looked at Simon sitting in meditation far away.

Walking up to Simon, he dropped to one knee and lowered himself to Simon's eye level.

"Your Majesty."

Simon's eyes slowly opened.

"Escardo. It has been a long time."

"Did you enjoy your travels?"

Simon gave a small laugh as he looked at Escardo, who had emphasized the word travels.

This place had been designed to allow dwarves from the Arden Mountains and mages from Cornelia to use Warp Stones.

And ever since the war ended, Simon had been traveling among mountain ranges all over the continent, combining it with training.

Each time, he used a magical tool to change the color of his hair so that no one would recognize him as Simon Eurasia.

They were secret excursions so discreet that even the Annihilation Squad failed to notice them.

Within Eurasia, the only ones who knew were Escardo Schtenberg, the Royal Guard Commander who also served as Commander of the Knights, and Loen Favre, who held the kingdom's sole Alchemist title.

"I must grow stronger if I am to lead you, must I not?"

"I see. The queens have been coming by almost every day, and I was beginning to think I had become a politician rather than a knight."

It was a remark that others might have considered somewhat rude.

But Simon merely smiled.

"Seeing that you have horns, it seems the queens hounded you again."

"Now that a family has become a kingdom, they have grown worse. It is as though they are desperate to swallow me whole."

The daughters of the three families who had entered marriage contracts to keep Eurasia alive as a frontier family and elevate it into a kingdom.

Now that Eurasia had overcome several crises and entered a period of stability, they had become queens and sought to obtain the compensation owed to their families for helping Simon.

It was not anything new.

The marriages had proceeded from the start because their interests aligned.

"I will speak with the queens directly about their demands. Now then, was anything else amiss?"

"The royal capital is unchanged. We are merely watching the Empire's movements and hastening our reorganization."

"I see."

"How were the mountain ranges?"

"There was no one to make my heart race."

"I expected as much."

He was a knight who had mastered 8-Star and even repelled a Black Dragon.

Among the mountain monsters now, those capable of moving Simon's heart could be counted on one hand.

After a moment of silence, Simon added that he had slain the rulers of two mountain ranges, and that the information collected by the Annihilation Squad and Hennessy had been helpful.

"The monsters' vigor had become quite savage."

"Given the state of affairs, there must have been many places where subjugation was postponed."

Frequent wars relaxed the watch kept over mountain monsters.

To punish Eurasia and Cornelia, the Empire had levied troops from its vassal states. As a result, Waves erupted in the mountain ranges adjoining several kingdoms that had missed the time for monster subjugation.

That was why the Empire, its pride wounded by several defeats, did not immediately raise an army.

"A time like this will not last long."

The Empire's power of recovery was beyond comparison with that of a single kingdom.

And with the accession of a new emperor, the competition for the throne had come to an end as well.

"Before long, a bloody storm will sweep through once more. It would be good if I could reach 9-Star by then."

Simon calmly spoke of the realm he had yet to attain.

Besides the war with the Empire, this was a world where fragments of gods and fragments of Grotesquery were running rampant. On top of that, even monsters were stirring.

The situation resembled that of more than two hundred years ago.

Back then, they had failed even with Edan Eurasia, the king who had saved the nation, and a knight who had mastered 9-Star and was called the strongest.

'This time must be different.'

It was an opportunity created by holding their breath for hundreds of years.

History stained with tragedy must not repeat itself.

The first step toward that was the birth of a 9-Star knight.

'Unlike 8-Star, no method of reaching 9-Star has been passed down.'

That was also why, having quickly recovered after the war, he had been going around subjugating the rulers of mountain ranges.

"Tell me about the kingdom's recent affairs."

Escardo went on to report about the medium-sized Warp Gate activated in cooperation with the Holy Nation, the expansion of the three families belonging to the queens' maternal lines, and the five Knight Order commanders.

"To think those children would build their Knight Orders up this much."

The hundred Gray Lancers directly under 8-Star knight Simon Eurasia.

The hundred Red Knights under 8-Star knight Escardo Schtenberg.

The two hundred White Knights under 6-Star knight Demian Eurasia.

The two hundred Black Knights under 6-Star knight Paian Eurasia.

The three hundred Blue Knights under 4-Star knight Julian Eurasia.

The hundred Yellow Knights under 5-Star knight Xenon Hertz.

The two thousand infantrymen and five hundred rangers trained by 6-Star knight Fred Perry, vice-commander of the Red Knight Order.

And—

The dozen or so members of the Annihilation Squad led by 8-Star knight Killian Eurasia.

In the course of the war, not only had their numbers grown greatly, but so had their quality.

More than anything, Eurasia now possessed three 8-Star knights.

Counted as Superhumans, the number rose to five.

Although the founding and operation of a mage corps had repeatedly failed, the level of the knights alone already made Eurasia worthy of being called the ruler of the eastern continent.

"I did not expect Serena to cross the wall before Fred."

"She is a child who already reached an incomplete realm through Bastian's death. Meeting Killian must have become the catalyst."

"Every member of the Annihilation Squad has reached 6-Star?"

"That is correct."

The Annihilation Squad was small in number, but its force already matched that of a Knight Order.

Adding the strength of Killian, its leader, it would not be lacking even if it were said to equal four of Eurasia's Knight Orders.

"A One-Man Army."

A title bestowed upon Sword Masters who had reached a realm even among Superhumans who crossed the wall.

Killian had now become a pillar of Eurasia no less than Simon or Escardo.

It was a force they could not have expected only a few years ago, but now he had become a treasured sword capable of protecting Eurasia more than two Superhumans could.

Simon had placed the sword called the Annihilation Squad in Killian's hand, but Killian had personally subjugated two Information Guilds and expanded his influence.

The queens' agitation likely had much to do with Killian's existence as well.

Escardo added a report on Killian's movements.

"He forged Hollyheart while carrying out the Joint Investigation Team's mission, then made contact with a Mercenary King...? Honestly."

Simon let out a hollow laugh.

Even he, who had entrusted state affairs to Escardo and the queens and devoted himself to the sword, found it difficult to walk the path of the sword.

Yet Killian seemed as though he could see that path clearly.

"Could forging Hollyheart not be due to him inheriting Lady Tatia's blood?"

Tatia de Veritas.

The Saintess before Lan de Styx and an owner of Divine Power no less than Pope Claudio de Cronis.

She had once said that Killian would someday receive a divine revelation.

"He already commands dragons, so even if he received a divine revelation, it would not be surprising."

"You may say you are proud of him before me. Thanks to Killian, do we not also have room to improve our relationship with the Papal Office?"

"......"

"One more thing. Information has arrived that Your Majesty will like."

"I hope it is information that will make me proud of you."

"We have found the location of Adamas."

"......"

Simon's eyebrow, which had remained relaxed until then, twitched.

"It is in the north. Not long ago, an adventurer reportedly saw a treasured sword near the Boundary."

He added that the treasured sword's form closely resembled the Adamas recorded in history.

"The Boundary..."

Simon trailed off.

If one named places Eurasia could not enter freely at present, they would name beyond the Boundary and the Imperial Capital at the Empire's heart.

'According to the records, Adamas possesses a mysterious power.'

It was not only Edan Eurasia, its last owner. Everyone who wielded Adamas had become a Superhuman whose name remained in history.

"It seems I will visit the north for the first time in a while."

Before the clash with the Empire.

Simon intended to obtain Adamas.

***

"Hmm~ I'm adapting more slowly than I expected."

Orchid Owl muttered as she waved both arms around.

"Be grateful it was not Kinect."

Crimson Wolf, who was training his Mana Heart beside her, replied.

After Pope Claudio de Cronis's visit.

Crimson Wolf had recovered his shattered Mana Heart, while Orchid Owl had recovered the two hands she had lost.

Though their ranks had fallen so far that even 7-Star was precarious, they could return to their former levels if they took the time to train.

That was why they had not returned to their guild immediately and instead remained at the Temple of Healing.

"Pergius Heinrich was definitely 9-Star."

"Yeah~ That's why you and I became crippled."

"Merely surviving an encounter with a 9-Star knight should have earned us merit. Once our bodies fully recover, we may use that merit as a foothold to seek a higher rank."

The realm Killian Eurasia had promised Crimson Wolf.

'8-Star.'

He, too, would reach it before long.

Then—

"You had such grand dreams with bodies in tatters."

At the sudden voice, Crimson Wolf turned his head.

A man with a familiar face stepped out from behind a shadowed pillar.

"Tial Salamander."

Crimson Wolf tensed his muscles and watched him approach.

"This is a temple. If it becomes known you trespassed......"

"Tial~"

GRAB.

Before Crimson Wolf could finish speaking, Orchid Owl went up and embraced him.

"......"

Holding her in his arms, Tial Salamander looked at Crimson Wolf with the expression of a victor.

"Orchid."

"Yes?"

"Did you call him here?"

"Crimson~ Just because we ended up like this doesn't mean we can neglect guild work, does it?"

She had merely told Tial to come visit them in the hospital.

And also—

"It would be good to exchange information while we're at it~"

Orchid Owl said, pulling Tial Salamander closer.

"You two did something absurd."

As he spoke, Tial pulled a scrap of paper from his clothes.

"It is information about the new Magic Tower the Empire is constructing."

"A Magic Tower...?"

FLICK.

Keeping his eyes on Orchid Owl, Tial tossed the paper to Crimson Wolf.

"Information does not come cheap, Orchid."

"The price I paid was not small, either."

"Heh heh. It will be troublesome if you continue like this."

"Hmm~"

As he and she exchanged smoldering looks—

Tial Salamander suddenly raised his head.

"Were you still there?"

"......"

"Get lost."

"You are the one who should get lost. Do I need to carve another sword mark into that body before you understand your place as an intruder?"

"Someone who cannot even use his detection ability properly is acting tough."

"You are the one acting tough. This is not Babylon."

"Idiot, it would not take even three seconds to deal with you as you are now."

Then—

"Then how about me?"

"......!!"

"......"

A silver-haired man emerged from behind the pillar Tial Salamander had appeared from.

Both Tial Salamander and Crimson Wolf had not expected his appearance.

Only—

"Oh, Master?"

Orchid Owl alone greeted him with a sly smile.