Chapter 97 : Chapter 97

Chapter 97

According to Bruges III’s confession, the room on the 5th basement floor of the castle, where the piece of the Grotesquery was sealed, had been created 200 years ago.

It was a place where entry was permitted only to the king among those who carried the blood of the Brussels royal family.

When he heard that the ‘piece of the Grotesquery’ was here, Killian let out a hollow laugh in disbelief.

After all, he had been the one to surely seal the Curses the creature had left behind when Edan had slain it.

Although he could not prevent Eurasia, unable to withstand the Empire’s pressure, from fleeing to the frontier and being demoted to a mere family, their line had nevertheless continued without being severed.

The clear fact he had confirmed upon awakening in Killian Eurasia’s body proved that his choice back then had not been wrong.

And yet.

Saaaaaaah.

“…”

Killian’s face hardened at the Evil Energy seeping out from between the doors.

While it was nothing compared to its past power, the pressure was suffocating.

It was not difficult to identify its source.

‘Hundreds of Curses that could rival my Authority.’

It seemed the unsettling energy was just as unpleasant for Hazard, who had been blessed by mana.

[Grrrrrr.]

The creature let out an unprecedentedly sharp cry.

“Calm down. We haven’t even identified its true nature yet.”

Killian enveloped himself and Hazard in a Sword Membrane.

‘The Empire also knew of the piece’s existence, he said.’

The Grotesquery that Killian knew was not something even the Empire could handle.

An otherworldly existence beyond cognition and common sense. That was the Grotesquery.

If Eurasia had not stepped forward, it might have driven humanity to extinction.

‘Is the Empire… once again aware of the danger and on guard in advance?’

It was a nation that had reigned as the hegemon for a thousand years. There was no telling what kind of scheme it was plotting with its information network spread across the continent.

‘Sending reinforcements wasn't just because of the war, I see.’

He had thought the only reason was to block Eurasia from advancing into the continent, but if a ‘piece of the Grotesquery’ existed here, the story changed.

There was no telling what they might try to do before Eurasia’s main army stormed the castle.

‘I was lucky.’

If he had not pressed Bruges III, he might have planned the capital’s relocation without even knowing such an object existed in the royal basement.

If that had happened, the lives of countless people unable to withstand the Evil Energy would have been sacrificed.

‘Revric. You played a cunning trick.’

Vowing not to let him off the hook when he returned, Killian checked his strength.

A dragon that had grown strong enough to cleave through an Arch Mage’s mana, and a Sword Master who had mastered 7-stars.

It would be more than enough power to confirm the identity of a mere piece, not the main body.

“Let’s go.”

[Grrr!]

Fwoosh.

Killian further strengthened the mana cloaking his body.

Passing through the door revealed a vast, empty space.

And.

[Eurasia.]

He was faced with an unexpected situation.

Ssssss.

Red mana rose from Gala’s body.

“Wake up.”

“Keuk…”

Touched by her mana, Revric felt the symptoms of reflux and opened his eyes.

“Your break is over.”

“Kuk… Withdraw… your mana…”

“That depends on what information you provide.”

“Information… haven’t I… already told you… everything…”

Revric opened his mouth with difficulty.

He had long been battered by the interrogations of three Annihilation Squad members, from Killian to Yulian, and now Gala.

Gala’s interrogation, in particular, which intentionally induced the symptoms of reflux, had left a deep scar on the Arch Mage’s Mana Heart.

“Still spouting nonsense. Surely the renowned Count of the kingdom doesn’t expect to be treated for just that much information.”

As Gala threatened him and intensified her mana, a groan like a scream once again echoed through the interrogation room.

A moment ago, he had confessed about the blueprints and records detailing the construction process of the Magic Tower.

It was concerning that they were for a failed project, not a successful one, but if used well, it was valuable information that could attract mages to Eurasia.

‘I should squeeze him moderately today and interrogate him again tomorrow.’

Depending on what information the old man before her coughed up, it would be of great help in the future process of absorbing Brussels and relocating the capital.

“Just because I’m a Count… doesn’t mean I know everything… What… happened to the war…?”

Revric asked, gasping for breath. Fresh blood from the reflux trickled down the corner of his mouth.

“The elite army led by Count Konrad was defeated.”

“…!!”

“Just like you, our Commander cut him down himself.”

“Kuk… Kukkuk… Is that so…”

“?”

“Keu… Heheh… Heh…”

“Has he lost his mind?”

Gala muttered at the unexpected reaction.

However, Revric continued to laugh for a good while longer with a voice thick with bloody phlegm, and she naturally frowned.

‘The kingdom’s downfall has accelerated due to his own mistake… it wouldn’t be strange for him to lose his mind.’

Suddenly, he stopped laughing.

“The Fourth Prince… was the one who did it…”

“Yes. By now, the suppression of the royal castle should be complete as well.”

The Annihilation Squad had infiltrated, disguised as Hennessy’s Walkers.

They would subdue the King, kill the superhumans, and then occupy the royal castle.

Once both the outside and inside of the castle were under control, the aftermath of the war would become much smoother.

“Brussels will fall faster than you think. So, even now…”

“You said your name was Gala?”

“…”

The eyes of Count Revric, staring at her, were smiling.

In fact, he looked even more energetic than before the interrogation.

Ptui.

After spitting out a mouthful of red saliva, he opened his mouth.

“Come to think of it, I forgot to tell you one piece of information.”

“I might give you a recovery potion depending on your answer.”

“Kukkukuk… I don’t need a recovery potion. I know my life won’t last long anyway.”

“Our Commander might not kill you.”

“Killian Eurasia, that eccentric fellow? I doubt it.”

Revric showed blatant hostility. It was a side he had not shown once since being dragged into the interrogation room.

Gala took out two recovery potions from her bosom and poured them into his mouth.

A Reflux Recovery Potion and a Vitality Recovery Potion. They were items classified as high-grade.

“A show of good faith for speaking first. Talk.”

“Kukuk… How grateful.”

After clearing his throat once, Revric opened his mouth.

“In the basement of the Brussels royal castle, there is an object that has been sealed for a long time.”

“Sealed?”

“It is a space designed so that only one who carries the blood of the royal family can open it.”

It was the first time she had heard of it.

The natural question followed.

“What is sealed there?”

“A piece of the Grotesquery.”

“…!!”

Gala’s eyes, which had maintained their composure all this time, wavered for the first time.

Grotesquery was a name akin to a taboo for Eurasia.

Though time had passed and it had become like a myth, she was not ignorant of the weight that name carried.

Sreung.

Gala drew a dagger from her waist and pressed it to Revric’s neck.

“Your joke has gone too far. If it were the Commander, he would have pulled out that tongue and burned it.”

“Cluck cluck cluck… This is exactly the reaction I expected.”

As Revric, who was starting to feel the effects of the recovery potions, stirred, the restraints on his limbs rattled.

Only a few, including himself, knew about the piece of the Grotesquery sealed in the basement of the Brussels royal castle.

Even then, Count Konrad, feeling uncomfortable with the Empire’s interference, had been unwilling to use the card they possessed.

Jureuk.

Blood trickled from his neck where the blade was pressed.

“If that’s true, why are you only speaking of it now?”

For such important information, he seemed to have no hesitation in speaking.

“If I had, wouldn’t that arrogant brat have made full preparations?”

“What…?”

“Killian Eurasia. Judging by his personality, he won’t kill the King easily.”

The King, who had never been interrogated in his life, would naturally spill the beans about the Grotesquery.

“The one Hennessy is attached to isn’t Eurasia, but Killian Eurasia, I bet.”

Crimson Wolf and Killian Eurasia, who had put him in this state.

A golden opportunity to take care of them both at once.

“There is no reason for me to miss it, is there?”

Puk.

Mana flowed from Gala’s dagger, which was embedded in his leg.

“Keuheup…”

Revric coughed up fresh blood.

“What happens if one enters that place?”

“They die.”

“Such nonsense…”

“Kukkukuk… I guarantee it. Even if a 7-star, no, an 8-star knight were to step into that place… they would not be able to escape death before ‘it’.”

Khahahaha.

Ignoring the worsening reflux, Revric burst into a fit of insane laughter.

Gala hastily exited the interrogation room.

‘I have to let the Commander know about this… so he doesn’t enter that place.’

No matter how skilled Killian was, there had to be some kind of unusual trap set there.

“…”

Gala disappeared in the blink of an eye.

“It’s just a shame I won’t get to see that bastard die.”

Alone in the interrogation room, the corners of Revric’s mouth twisted.

[Eurasia.]

“…”

[Adamas.]

“…”

Killian was at a loss for words, staring blankly at the being before him.

Including the height of its helmet, it was likely 2 meters tall; a figure clad in full plate mail stood motionless like a statue.

Feeling the Evil Energy pouring out, Killian uttered its identity.

“Death Knight.”

If a Lich was a mage who rejected death and chose the life of an undead in exchange for eternal life, then a knight who walked the same path was called a Death Knight.

“To think they sealed a Death Knight in a place like this.”

Ddeudeuk. Deuk.

Perhaps the formula was undone when the door was opened, as the undead began to move little by little.

Watching it closely, Killian raised Aether.

Just as creating a Lich required at least a 5-star Mana Heart and an immortality spell, not just anyone could become a Death Knight.

The level of a 5-star knight, a strong attachment to life.

And.

‘The Curse of Immortality is needed.’

The Death Knight thus born gains strength greater than when it was alive.

“There was a reason they called it a piece.”

Killian scanned the massive undead.

He did not know the reason, but it was clear that the Curse of Immortality used on the Death Knight was from the Grotesquery.

Moreover, this thing had even mentioned his name as a sword.

‘The martial power I feel is 7-star… about a Master’s level. It must have used a Sword Master as a host from the beginning.’

[Grrrrrr.]

Hazard bared its teeth, wary of the source of the Evil Energy. Thanks to that, he was able to snap out of his thoughts.

The Evil Energy he felt was certainly that of the Grotesquery.

‘Something feels… incongruous.’

[Eurasia.]

“…”

[Adamas.]

The Death Knight continued to mutter his name, which now felt unfamiliar.

Killian glanced at the hand gripping Aether.

“…”

The trained body of a superhuman was trembling.

“It certainly has enough power to be called a piece.”

Ddeudeudeuk. Ddeudeudeudeuk.

With its movements now completely free, the Death Knight took a step.

Ssssss.

The Evil Energy seeping from its armor took aim at Killian and Hazard.

“Hazard, dodge!”

[Grrr!]

“Carpe.”

Hwaaaa.

The domain deployed by the scabbard’s mana formed a curtain, as if resisting the surging Evil Energy.

But it could not block all the Evil Energy that had already filled the cavern.

“…Heup.”

Even though he was clad in Mana Skin, his body felt like it was stiffening from the brief contact with the Evil Energy.

‘Poison…?’

It was venomous enough to affect a superhuman cloaked in mana.

Killian began to emit mana. He tried to circulate the mana in his body to vaporize the Evil Energy.

‘If I take control of the space with Carpe and use Carpe Illusion, I can control the Evil Energy…’

While he was thinking that.

[Traitor Adamas.]

“…”

Amidst the stiffening sensation.

[Kill the enemy of Eurasia.]

Killian sensed that something was wrong.

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