Regressor of the Fallen Family Novel - Chapter 309
Chapter 309:
“The Second Prince makes an appearance at an official gathering.”
“Hmm?”
Logan tilted his head in response to Damian’s unexpected update.
The individual who was previously reported as missing?
“…How did the royal family respond?”
“Well… Since they never acknowledged the disappearance from the start…”
“Ah, I see. So, no mention of those magicians either?”
“Correct. None at all.”
What could this signify?
The Black Serpent group, were they antagonistic towards the Empire?
Or did the Second Prince manage to break free from their grasp?
No, was he rescued by the royal family in the end?
“It seems we must assume the Second Prince has reappeared after being missing. And was the confrontation with the magicians and their Guard genuine?”
“Yes. The damage in Aserian is still being repaired. There is no reason for the Empire to orchestrate such a scenario.”
“I understand. Indeed.”
This only added to the mystery.
“Do we have any information on those Black Serpent individuals?”
“I’m afraid not. We have not uncovered anything yet.”
“I see…”
Tock. Tock.
Logan’s expression became complex as he tapped the armrest of his chair.
“However, there is a peculiar coincidence.”
“Hmm?”
“One of the Four Directional Kings made a move just as the Second Prince reappeared.”
“What?”
The seldom-seen Four Directional Kings of the Empire, who held authority under the Emperor, could only act officially under the Emperor’s orders with their esteemed positions.
“On the day Lord Dongik visited the capital city Aserian, the Second Prince resurfaced, and since then, the Second Prince and Lord Dongik have been moving together towards the Eastern Palace.”
“…That is suspicious.”
“Indeed.”
There was a scarcity of information.
With the internal dynamics of the royal family veiled, and the Black Serpent magicians still veiled in secrecy, they could only speculate based on surface anomalies.
“My head is spinning.”
Logan sighed deeply, rubbing his temples, when he noticed Damian’s face had turned even more serious.
“…Do you have a theory?”
Damian hesitated before cautiously sharing his thoughts in response to that query.
“There is no concrete evidence, so it’s purely speculation.”
“Speculation?”
“If, as Your Majesty suggested, the Empire is planning a war and has deliberately sown chaos in the kingdoms as part of that scheme, then the Second Prince, suspected of involvement in Cleo Liberman’s disappearance, could be part of the plot. If all these assumptions hold true…”
“It is all true.”
If he wasn’t the mastermind, Cleo wouldn’t have reappeared out of nowhere.
As Logan furrowed his brow, reminiscing about past events, Damian continued with a more somber expression.
“…Yes. If that is the case, it appears the Second Prince is trying to advance his plans with Lord Dongik’s influence.”
“Hmm…”
There was logic in his words.
Having already dispatched assassins, it wouldn’t be surprising to incite similar chaos once more.
But there was a major flaw in that line of thinking.
“Open warfare is one thing, but instigating disturbances from the shadows again? Are there vulnerabilities within our kingdom that could lead to such chaos?”
In the realm of Maclaine, nearly all authority resided in Logan’s hands.
Any potential rebellions had been quashed, leaving only the loyal bound by blood oaths or unwavering trust.
In that case, wouldn’t it be simpler to engage in direct conflict?
That was Logan’s understanding.
Yet,
“Apologies, Your Majesty, but there is one issue that could sow discord within the kingdom.”
“What is it?”
“Despite the current prosperity under your rule, there is an underlying issue not immediately apparent from the outside…”
As Damian spoke, Logan himself sighed, realizing there was a ticking time bomb within the kingdom.
“If not for your vigilance, I might have been standing on unstable ground unknowingly, only looking forward.”
The king’s appreciative gaze was met with Damian’s restrained smile, as the matter at hand was too serious to revel in compliments.
“The most plausible scenario would be another assassination attempt. But if not that, they might target something else.”
“…That is a valid point. Even I would target that if I were the enemy. It’s a stark reminder that I may not be as astute as I believed. Thank you, Damian.”
Indeed, Damian Nadal, the Viper of the Grandia Liberation Front, had earned that title for good reason.
When his name was brought up, it often sent shivers down people’s spines, even among allies. A ruthless strategist willing to sacrifice a few for the greater good, he often left others uneasy, dreading when they might be the ones sacrificed, fostering a sense of distrust towards him.
But now.
“Ah, no, Your Majesty. With your many responsibilities, it’s understandable that this slipped your mind. I always gather information from various sources, both internal and external…”
Watching Damian gesture with his hands, Logan once again recognized how the world had shifted.
‘Was he always this reserved?’
Perhaps, the viper he had known in the past had transformed due to the changes Damian underwent after his homeland’s destruction.
‘I will ensure he doesn’t endure such upheavals again.’
With this thought in mind, Logan patted Damian’s shoulder with determination.
“There’s no need to be modest in such matters. Acknowledging our shortcomings is the first step to addressing them. If there are any issues like this in the future, do not hesitate to speak up. I rely on individuals like you, wise and perceptive.”
Damian bowed even deeper in acknowledgement.
To serve a king who could admit his faults and still value his subjects was perhaps the greatest gift to a servant.
“…I will gladly do so.”
Damian responded with a quiet smile to the king’s directive.
“Then, regarding that issue…”
“If we can pinpoint the vulnerability, we can prepare countermeasures more effectively. Leave it to me. If the enemy makes a move, I will handle that issue along with it.”
“Excellent. I trust you.”
“Yes!”
Perhaps the conversation with Damian alleviated the anxiety lingering in his mind to some extent.
Logan’s strides felt lighter as he made his way towards the building where the magic corps was stationed, where Clayten was. With Damian taking charge of internal challenges, now was the time to devise strategies to empower the vulnerable compared to the Empire. Fortunately, Clayten seemed to have uncovered a clue towards a potential solution.
“Choo! Choo!”
“Your Majesty!”
“The ruler of Maclaine!”
The knights and soldiers stationed outside the tower swiftly knelt upon seeing Logan approach.
“Oh, why have you arrived unannounced, Your Majesty.”
Even though the tower was situated within the royal palace, it still held the presence of the king. Startled by Logan’s unaccompanied arrival without any messengers or escort knights, the guards were unsure how to react.
Of course, Logan paid no heed.
“Where is Lord Clayten?”
“Ah, he is inside. Should I inform him?”
“No, I will go in. It would be inappropriate to disturb someone engrossed in crucial research.”
“Understood. This way, Your Majesty.”
The guard turned promptly, and Logan followed him leisurely into the tower.
The Tower of Wizards, standing for a thousand years, had been intertwined with the fate of the Grandidian dynasties, adorned with ancient murals that chronicled a long history. Depictions of dragons, giants, woodland sprites, and earth deities dominating the continent while humans battled monsters and diverse races were etched into the fortress’s towering walls.
‘A millennium ago…’
The murals crafted by the wizards who established the fortress city of Gran, now recognized as the ‘beacon of hope for humanity’ in the eastern expanse of the continent. They chronicled humanity’s struggles during times of racial domination, from the ground level of the tower all the way up.
That was the legacy of the former Wizard school and a thousand-year heritage of Grandidia. Now, these served as the foundational roots for what Clayten and Logan sought to revitalize.
‘A fortress city. Specifically, a grand magical sigil that could be inscribed and preserved within the fortress.’
In modern times, where knights could effortlessly scale walls as high as thirty meters, walls served merely as a delay for defense, nothing more.
However, a fortress with a potent magical sigil could alter that dynamic.
‘According to history, the soldiers within Gran possessed boundless vitality and unyielding combat spirit.’
Even though the descendants of that era could no longer produce a Great Magician, let alone a simple mage, those legacies endured throughout the tower. The issue lay in the fact that Gran, as ancient as its history, had seen its grand magical sigil fade over time.
– …The remnants of other grand magical sigils are nearly erased as well. The defensive magic on the walls, the sole remaining one, is on the brink of expiration and will cease functioning in a few years.
– Can they be restored? Is it a feasible task?
– With our current magical capabilities, it is unattainable. I apologize.
These words from Chayson Riverfield, the former Tower Master and current Deputy Commander of the Magic Corps, highlighted the challenge they faced.
Grateful to have inadvertently discovered why the former Gran fell so easily, Logan ruefully recollected it.
‘The magical sigils in Aserian were still functional.’
Considering that even the Ares Empire, with half the history of Grandidia, struggled to maintain the grand magical sigils of Aserian or other major cities, the project Logan was undertaking seemed like a daring endeavor.
However, Clayten assured him it was not a lost cause but rather a prospect.
It all began when his apprentice Victoria unearthed clues in the research journal, believed to be from those Black Serpent wizards, and Triah’s treasure, the 6th-class artifact Ignis.
– There is a common thread. The institution behind the research journal and the one behind Ignis must be the same.
– It is a magical formula that no longer exists. If one could perceive mana, one could restore the magical sigil by comparing Ignis and the journal. This extends to its applications as well.
What began as a mere aspiration to enhance the quality of mass-produced artifacts unveiled an unexpected lead.
– Grant me six months. I will achieve it.
Clayten confidently declared this, and he and Victoria delved into their research, with four months having elapsed already.
‘Surely, the results should be forthcoming by now?’
Impatient and filled with anticipation, Logan hastened his pace.
“This is the spot, Your Majesty.”
His expectations may have been greater than he realized.
As the knight pointed to the door, Logan barged in without knocking.
The first sight that greeted him was an assortment of peculiarly-shaped glass vials filled with assorted liquids neatly arranged on shelves. Mildly bemused by this sight, Logan called out for the individual he sought.
“Lord Clayten! How is the research……!”
His booming voice reverberated, and from within the chamber filled with glass vials, cries could be heard.
“Cough!? Wh-Who is intruding at such a critical juncture!”
“Kyah! Master, do not avert your gaze! Stay focused, please! Ah, no! The mana is…!!”
“This darned!!”
Before the tense ambiance could affect Logan, a massive explosion rang out.
Kwaaang!
With a thunderous blast, the sixth floor of the royal tower shattered into fragments.
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