BXBX NOVEL Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Cedric stepped out of the mansion.
Vice Commander Fabi approached him.
“Commander, please continue what you were saying.”
“The fact that half of the Forest of Deadly Poison has been cleared… You must’ve known, right?”
The Guardian Knights gathered around Cedric.
“You sent us to get confirmation, didn’t you?”
“Do you know what surprised me the most? There were traces of only one or two people.”
“And it looked like one person just took a walk while the other handled everything.”
“Commander, please say something.”
A barrage of questions from the knights.
Cedric said nothing.
He was just as astonished as them inside.
‘I can’t believe the Forest of Deadly Poison has been cleared….’
It wasn’t a complete clearance, but it was done by only two people.
And they were both 3rd class knights.
It was an utterly insufficient force to clear such a dangerous area.
‘Was there a side of Young Master that I didn’t know of?’
Kane had changed a lot since Cedric had last seen him.
…The Fire Rune.
No, the purple mana kept bothering him.
‘Even His Grace, who possesses exceptional talent, has white mana, but the Young Master’s mana is purple.’
The color of mana corresponded to the color of the Rune.
Fire was red.
Water was blue or white.
Wind was sky blue.
Wood was green.
There were some variations in shades, but they didn’t deviate much.
That’s why purple was something he had never seen before.
‘Did the Young Master obtain the power of demons as His Grace suggested?’
Just after Duke Carl woke up, Cedric and the duke had a brief conversation.
When Cedric mentioned that Kane’s mana was purple,
He heard Duke Carl whisper softly.
‘The power of demons.’
The founder of Rehinar used that terrifying purple mana as well.
‘Then it makes sense why he uses two Runes.’
The awakening of the Dullard Grand Duke.
Facing the crisis of death must have awakened his dormant abilities.
“Vice Commander.”
“Yes! Please go ahead.”
“Describe the wounds on the monsters’ bodies in detail.”
Fabi explained in much more detail than he had previously reported.
“The entrance of the mysterious realm had traces of sword energy.”
“All the legs of the mutated monster were cleanly cut off.”
“And?”
“All the other wounds targeted the vital points. The face, heart, and abdomen. All signs pointed to a single blow for each kill.”
“Continue.”
Fabi’s previously excited expression began to harden.
“When we reached the midpoint, there were traces of magic instead of sword energy.”
Cedric’s eyes widened.
In the family, there was only one person who could wield both magic and the sword simultaneously: Duke Carl.
“Are you certain?”
“The important thing is that a single spell annihilated all the mutated monsters.”
“There was a King Speeder at the midpoint, wasn’t there?”
“It was in the same conditions as the others. The spell used melted the mutated monsters in one fell swoop. That’s why I asked you. Who on earth cleared the Forest of Deadly Poison?”
Fabi’s face was serious.
The other knights shared the same curiosity.
They were desperate to know who had cleared the hidden territory.
“Even if I tell you, you won’t believe me.”
“Please tell us.”
“Who was it?”
Under the intense gazes of the knights, Cedric reluctantly opened his mouth.
“Young Master and Camilla were the ones who cleared the Forest of Deadly Poison.”
“What!?”
Everyone was flabbergasted.
—
Kane was flustered for the first time in a very long while.
“What… do you mean?”
Actually, he was more horrified.
Duke Carl’s tone was chilling.
And his eyes.
Despite his face being pallid with illness, his eyes were alive.
They seemed to see through everything.
As Kane’s heart pounded wildly, Duke Carl’s playful voice broke through.
“My son did not treat his father with such stiffness. Have you become grumpy after a few months of separation?”
Kane finally breathed a sigh of relief.
‘It was a joke. I thought my heart would drop. Phew.’
After taking a deep breath, Kane responded to Duke Carl.
“Many things happened while you were away, Father. I’ve decided to change my ways.”
“Don’t overdo it. You are my son, and your day in the sun will come.”
Duke Carl’s tone was kind.
It was a warmth he had never felt from anyone in the Hatzfeld royal family.
‘Kane grew up receiving a lot of love. Unlike me….’
It was incredibly strange to receive such care from someone other than Camilla.
“I have something to tell you.”
“I am well aware of my condition. The flow of blood and mana is abnormally slow.”
Duke Carl had accurately assessed his own state.
“We are working to completely eliminate the poison within you.”
“You mean I will soon fall into a comatose state, don’t you, my son?.”
“That’s correct. You will fall into a coma and occasionally wake up for brief periods.”
Upon hearing this, Duke Carl fell into deep thought.
Then he spoke.
“How long do you think it will take?”
“Are you asking about a complete recovery?”
“Yes.”
“If it’s short, one year. If it’s long, two years.”
“That’s not as long as I thought.”
“Aren’t you curious how I know about the cure?”
Duke Carl chuckled at Kane’s question.
“You’ve always loved books. I know you’ve read all the books in the library before you were fifteen.”
“So, you’re not going to ask me anything?”
“What’s the point of doubting my son?”
There was genuine trust in Duke Carl’s words.
He was the exact opposite of the suspicious king of Hatzfeld.
“My organs are starting to shut down.”
Duke Carl called him.
“My son.”
“Yes, Father?”
“I entrust Sara and Rehinar to you.”
“What makes you trust me so much?”
“You are my son.”
“I am also a Dullard.”
“You just develop at a slower pace.”
The immense trust sparked a feeling of rebellion.
“I’ll only be a burden.”
He said something he didn’t truly feel.
“Do you really think so?”
Duke Carl smiled.
It was a slightly unsettling expression that made him frown.
“My son.”
The word “son” still felt unfamiliar.
“Yes?”
“If I am not here, you, as the eldest, must take charge of Rehinar.”
“I might make a mess of things.”
“That, too, would be the fate of Rehinar. It must be accepted.”
Duke Carl’s breathing grew faint.
His once sharp eyes had grown dull.
His eyelids were slowly closing.
“I’m getting sleepy after all this talking.”
Duke Carl’s eyes closed completely.
Soon, only the sound of his breathing could be heard.
“Rest well and wake up soon. When you wake up, Rehinar will have changed a lot.”
Kane left the room, leaving the Duke behind.
Just before Duke Carl’s organs completely shut down, a strange sound came from his mouth.
“Thank… you… for… coming back…”
—
*Ding!*
A notification sounded in Kane’s ear.
—
[You have met the conditions to open the Territory System.]
—
As he walked down the mansion’s corridor, he checked the window.
—
– Rehinar Territory –
[Agriculture (Lv.1) – (21/100)]
[Commerce (Lv.1) – (10/100)]
[Barracks (Lv.1) – (71/100)]
[Security (Lv.1) – (38/100)]
[City Gate (Lv.1) – (7/100)]
[Guild (Lv.1) – (14/100)]
—
“It’s much worse than I thought.”
This wasn’t just some baron or viscount’s domain.
This was a Dukedom of the Fresia Empire!
A vast territory ruled by the Guardian family.
Yet, all five categories were at level 1.
“No wonder the Territory’s residents have turned their backs on Rehinar.”
He closed the Territory window.
With Duke Carl’s matter settled, it was time to move on to the next phase.
“Starting today, things will be different.”
Despite his gentle face, a cold smile appeared on his lips.
As soon as he stepped outside, he called for Cedric.
“Sir Cedric.”
“Did the conversation go well?”
“My father has entrusted me with the family and has fallen into a comatose state.”
“When will he wake up?”
“A month? Perhaps longer.”
“Will he remain like this for life?”
“This is the final phase of his treatment. He will sleep for an extended period of time before briefly waking up.”
“What should I do?”
“Protect my father with the other Guardian Knights.”
“That’s a given, but…”
“Leave the border alone.”
Cedric objected to Kane’s simple answer.
“Count McCarty’s army might cross the border and the demon forest to threaten Rehinar.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“Then why give such an order?”
“If the Guardian Knights are at the border, who will protect my father?”
“I plan to leave Vice Commander Fabi and the veterans behind.”
“That’s not a good idea.”
Kane shook his head, opposing Cedric’s suggestion.
“If you, who are always with my father, appear at the border, Count McCarty will suspect his condition.”
“It’ll be a bad move.”
They would likely send elite assassins to kill the Grand Duke.
Perhaps Count McCarty himself might take action.
No, probably the Haztfelds would move themselves.
Then Duke Carl’s life would be in jeopardy.
“If we neglect border defense, the Territory will be in danger.”
This part was incredibly frustrating.
“Why do we protect the Territory?”
“For the safety of the residents of Rehinar, and further, for the citizens of the Fresia Empire.”
Cedric couldn’t understand whom this was all for.
“Sir Cedric, let me ask you. Are those who have turned their backs on Rehinar still residents of the Territory?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean. Some nobles and wealthy individuals have harbored ulterior motives for a long time.”
If the nobles and wealthy residents had not turned against Rehinar, their condition would’ve been much better.
Currently, Rehinar was a decaying territory.
A few nobles and wealthy individuals were beyond redemption.
“That…”
“As for me.”
“……”
“I don’t want to protect those who have turned their backs on Rehinar. Just as they seek their own paths, I intend to do whatever it takes to revive Rehinar, even if it means abandoning my honor.”
Kane’s calm voice struck Cedric’s ears.
It was an emotion so dry, it sent chills down his spine.