Chapter 57

Prince Xiao stood at the entrance of the royal capital's underground great warehouse, taking a deep breath and firmly gripping the secret letter given to him by his mother. However, his mind was preoccupied with the aftermath of the warehouse's collapse and the confirmation of the fact that the "Gray Phantom" had been defeated. He was particularly troubled by the report of a historically significant monster that had suddenly appeared.

"The 'Altar of Holy Silver' recorded in the literature should not be so easily damaged," he thought.

Although he had received a direct explanation of the situation from his sister, who was directly involved, there were still many details that did not make sense. The "Gray Phantom" described in the historical books stored in the royal library was a monstrous creature sealed by the "Altar," which, as its name suggests, was entirely made of "Holy Silver" and was not easily damaged.

"Holy Silver" was not as strong as "Royal Metal" or "Hardest Mineral," but it was extremely conductive to magic and could be easily enhanced through enchantments. Ordinary swords or magic could not even scratch it. This was why the ancestors had gone to great lengths to bring the massive altar from deep within the labyrinth to seal the creature.

The prince was puzzled by his sister's enthusiastic account of how someone had completely destroyed the altar with a "Petit Fire" spell. Setting aside the extraordinary hero-like man's story, it was inconceivable that a "Holy Silver" artifact could be damaged by a mere earthquake or the aftermath of a war.

Thus, he concluded:

"Perhaps it was intentionally destroyed by someone."

The prince's mind was preoccupied with the "Linnburg Princess Assassination Attempt," which had triggered the attack on the royal capital. They had obtained evidence and testimony that the plan was carried out within the command structure of the Imperial Kingdom, and the compensation for this was clearly stated in the peace treaty. However, as the investigation progressed, it became apparent that there was another aspect to the situation.

The shadow of an ominous third party.

After the end of the royal capital attack, he had repeatedly confirmed with the emperor's close aides, but it became clear that the high-purity magic stone used in the "Mage's Ring" that triggered the incident and the summoning technique used to summon the "Minotaur" were provided by the same source.

This meant that the entity had obtained the summoning magic artifact technology before the Imperial Kingdom and had also captured the "Minotaur." The abyssal creature "Minotaur" was not easily captured. Only those of the "Six Saints" class, who had encountered it multiple times, could manage it, and even then, it was a formidable task. The fact that it was captured and provided suggested that the "invisible enemy" possessed combat power on par with the kingdom's "Six Saints."

Although it was hard to believe, it was revealed that such an entity existed within the Imperial Kingdom. There were many witnesses.

Yet, despite this, they had not been able to grasp even a fragment of its true identity. Strangely, every time they investigated in the Imperial Kingdom, they received different answers.

Some said it was "elderly merchants," others said it was a "short and eerie slave trader," and still others claimed it was a "group of beautiful female fortune-tellers."

The testimonies were completely different from place to place. Given that everything was so inconsistent, it was likely that some form of disguise had been applied from the beginning, or that memory manipulation had been performed afterward.

In other words, the entity influencing the Imperial Kingdom was a group with considerable military power and the ability to perform such skillful actions. The question was, who was it?

According to the testimony of the victim herself, during the initial "Minotaur" attack, a powerful "barrier" suddenly bound the princess, leaving her unable to move and nearly dead. The upper echelons of the Imperial Kingdom, including the general, were unaware of the existence of this "barrier," and it remained unclear who had cast it.

However, the "barrier technique" was a monopoly of Misra, and the entities capable of using it were limited. The recent incident with the "Gray Phantom" could not be ruled out as unrelated. Leen, who had studied in Misra, had identified traces of "barrier technique" magic patterns on the sealing altar, which had been erased.

It was possible that someone knowledgeable had intentionally erased them.

There was no concrete evidence for this hypothesis, but the prince had a strong sense of certainty. While there was no evidence, the circumstances pointed to it.

The attack orchestrated by the Imperial Kingdom was intricately involved. Despite this, they continued to talk about inspections, support, and consolations.

"How dare they."

The prince's words were tinged with intense anger.

He understood why the king had not allowed him to attend the meeting. If he had been there, he would have surely lashed out at the woman.

It was a wise decision. The moment he saw her face, he was confident he could not control himself. Unlike his calm and gentle father, he might have even drawn his blade without hesitation.

It was only natural. He could never forgive her. She was the one who had tried to kill Leen.

"And now, a 'betrothal'? How much more can you mock us?"

Anger filled the quiet office in the middle of the night once again.

Leen was exceptionally talented. Among the long history of the royal family of the Kingdom of Crease, her presence stood out. Even as a child, he had been hailed as a prodigy, but he could not compare to her.

She was simply too talented. If she continued to grow, the kingdom's power would significantly increase. She was a once-in-a-century talent, recognized by all.

Her genius was well-known throughout the kingdom, and many citizens already longed for her to ascend the throne. Technically, she had not yet completed the "trial" required by the kingdom's laws to gain the right of succession. However, if she officially obtained the right, the people would undoubtedly choose her.

He had no objections to this. He doubted that the kingdom's people, who always sought heroes, would readily accept him, given the many dirty jobs he had done to protect the country. He was better suited to behind-the-scenes work than the flashy stage, and he believed more than anyone that the throne should go to her after his father. When the time came, the people's hearts would be even more united, and the Kingdom of Crease would achieve great development.

However, for those who did not find it pleasant for the kingdom to grow in power, his sister's existence was a threat. It was not surprising that they would try to eliminate her in advance.

Indeed, they had tried to eliminate her. They had taken advantage of the chaos of war to do so without leaving any evidence. When that failed, the woman approached as if she had compassion and proposed a non-existent "betrothal." If she could not eliminate her, she would try to make her her own. The prince could clearly see the ulterior motives behind this.

"What do they seek? Resources, or something else?"

If they had a rational purpose, the resources produced by the labyrinth or the "Labyrinth of No Return" itself would be the first to come to mind. They had always desired these.

The Holy Kingdom of Misra, a military state disguised as a religious nation, was a country adorned with military and economic power. The prince recalled the words of the "Healing Saint" Sain, who had been born there and had abandoned the country.

"Misra no longer worships a religion. The people at the top have lost their faith and hearts. They are using people's belief in something else."

Additionally, it was described as a "sinful country ruled by greedy people."

The "Labyrinth of No Return," which had not been fully explored even after several hundred years of discovery, was a treasure trove of unknown resources. It contained treasures and artifacts that the rulers of various countries coveted. As a result, many troubles had arisen due to the "Labyrinth of No Return." Among them, the "Gray Phantom" incident was a significant event in history. However, the kingdom had continuously proven its ability to overcome and govern the threats that arose from the world-renowned labyrinth, asserting its legitimacy in possession and management.

However, if it were perceived that the kingdom could not manage it, it could provide a perfect attack material for other countries. From this perspective, the reappearance of the "Gray Phantom" could be seen as not a coincidence but a necessity. Someone had intended it. They had intentionally caused an event that could lead to a major disaster. The image of who that someone was was becoming clearer in the prince's mind.

"We have long misjudged the trustworthiness of our allies."

The prince gritted his teeth. The kingdom and Misra had maintained a certain distance and balance. They had been in an alliance for several hundred years. Despite the constant rumors of darkness surrounding the country, they had maintained a relationship of mutual respect and trust as neighbors. That was why both he and Leen had studied in the country as children, and it had been chosen as a place of refuge during the recent conflict.

However, as he gathered information, he realized how naive they had been. It was no longer possible to consider the country as an ally. At the very least, the other side had long since given up on that notion.

He had realized this too late.

"Will the conflict continue?"

The Imperial Kingdom had effectively fallen, and the Kingdom of Crease had suffered significant damage. The long-standing balance of power had already been disrupted. If left alone, the kingdom would use the technology obtained from the Imperial Kingdom to develop and flourish.

However, the woman was not that naive. If the greedy ones sought the "Labyrinth of No Return," now was the time to act. If he were in their position, he would seize the opportunity and launch every possible attack.

The prince felt frustrated and angry at the shadow of a much more powerful entity. He understood the opponent's intentions and goals all too well, which only increased his anger. The actions he imagined the opponent would take were things he himself had considered but had decided never to do as a person. The fact that the opponent would do so without hesitation filled him with anger and disgust, even towards himself for understanding and sympathizing with such a heretic.

"Let me calm down a bit."

The invitation to Misra for his sister seemed like an obvious trap. If she went, danger would surely follow. However, it could also be an opportunity, the prince thought. If he had the courage to use his sister's life as a stake, that is.

To use his precious sister's life as a stake?

He did not want to even think about it.

"No, that's not it—calm down.

Put aside personal feelings and consider all the options... the conclusion will come after that."

He spoke to himself, trying to remind himself not to be too lenient with his sister. Indeed, she was indispensable to the prosperity of the country. But that was only if she fulfilled her role. If she prioritized her own safety, it would be counterproductive.

The mission of the royal family—serving the people and the country. They, who lived for the people, had a duty to serve them. The situation surrounding the kingdom was already at a point where it could be called a war. Beneath the calm surface, they had already stepped onto the battlefield.

In such a situation, it was unacceptable to let personal feelings interfere with the well-being of his family. He had to consider the optimal placement of pieces on the board. Even if it meant putting his sister's life at risk, he had to do so without hesitation if it benefited the country and the people.

With this in mind, the prince desperately thought—and a few moments later, he reached a conclusion.

"That boy, Roro, right?"

The prince immediately realized. Probably, that young demon. The young demon would be the key to the current situation.

Depending on the young demon's future actions, the balance of power and the fate of the kingdom could change significantly. The prince also wondered if his father had brought the young demon into the kingdom after considering this. If so, his strong opposition to accepting the young demon, who was a demon and could only bring harm to the people, was truly naive and foolish. The path he was now imagining was a gamble, but it seemed to be a gamble with a significant return.

However, it was probably different. His father was truly kind and gentle. It might have been a simple act of compassion for the young demon and a desire to fulfill a promise to the man—Nohl. Simple and sincere, prioritizing principles and emotions over gains and losses. It might seem like the actions of a fool, but that was the true image of a hero the people sought—the qualities of a king. The people of the kingdom followed such straightforward righteousness.

He lacked that quality.

He was thoroughly disgusted with himself for judging things only by immediate gains and losses.

"I'll consult with Father and Oaken a bit—before formulating a serious strategy."

With a vague glimmer of hope, the prince set aside his pursuit for the moment. There were countless things to do and consider. He had to handle them one by one.

For that woman who had tried to harm his sister, that monstrous existence, he had to avenge her. He had to steadily build up his efforts, one by one. As an ordinary person, he could not compete with the monsters around him unless he did so.

"A person lacking in talent must make up for it with effort and perseverance."

The prince opened the window of his office to let in the night breeze, cooling his heated head, and returned to the task of reviewing the mountain of reports from his subordinates.