Chapter 32

Time passed as if it did not flow. Deep within the imperial palace, in a secret treatment chamber completely sealed off from the outside, Rian hovered between death and life.

His body was treated like the empire’s greatest treasure. The royal physician, the archmage of the Magic Tower, and a high cleric of the holy nation stood watch by his side in shifts. The highest-level divine Magic circle that sustained life shone around the clock, and rare medicinal ingredients told of only in legends were poured in like water. Twisted bones found their place and ruptured organs slowly healed. His flesh miraculously recovered, but his consciousness still had not returned from the deep abyss.

While the shadow slept, the light had to strengthen itself.

Kaion changed. Since the day his younger brother fell bleeding, any trace of the innocent boy in his eyes had completely vanished. After Academy training he went to the imperial palace to attend the Crown Prince, by night he kept watch over his brother’s treatment chamber, and when dawn came he would swing his sword like a madman in the estate’s training grounds.

His blade carried rage, guilt, and self-reproach for failing to protect his younger brother. His swordsmanship became far more brutal and ruthless than before. Every movement transformed into the most efficient technique of killing an opponent, aimed solely to cut an enemy’s breath.

“Sir Kaion, lately there is a killing intent in your blade.”

The Crown Prince Julian spoke with concern, but Kaion merely bowed his head instead of answering. He was no longer an aspiring knight with pure passion. He had become a guardian who decided to make himself part of the darkness in order to protect the shadow.

The political stage in the capital was also in upheaval. The hyenas’ struggle to take the places left by the fall of the two great oaks, Reinhardt and the Duke of Valois, intensified. Their checks naturally turned toward the Aster family, which enjoyed the Crown Prince’s favor. Hearing of the family’s elevation, Count Aaron Aster traveled from the estate to the capital. As head of the family, he attended the nobles’ council.

“Count Aster, you say? A provincial bumpkin simply had luck.”
“What would a newly risen house know of the empire’s politics?”

Open sneers and dismissals poured out at the nobles’ council. But Aaron was no longer a powerless provincial count. Before attending the meeting, he had been handed information gathered by Argos through Kaion.

Aaron swept the hall with cold eyes and spoke.

“Marquis Varne, did you properly pay the taxes on the prohibited luxury goods you smuggled last month? To my knowledge, there is a significant discrepancy between the ledgers and the actual goods.”
“Viscount Ortega, can you explain the source of the secret funds you received from the Duke of Valois? The clerics of the holy nation would be quite curious where that money was spent.”

The words from his mouth struck at each noble’s most fatal weaknesses. Using his son’s intelligence, Aaron squeezed his opponents’ throats like a seasoned politician. The nobles were aghast and could no longer treat the provincial count of the Aster family lightly. Kaion, behind his father, was learning to wield the invisible blade of information.

Meanwhile, Argos quietly expanded its power during Rian’s absence. Old Fox, following the funds and plans Rian left behind, absorbed the remaining forces of Reinhardt and the Duke of Valois, and Kael of the estate pushed the Dawn Guild into the empire’s north, amassing great wealth.

Though they had lost their master, they silently performed their duties to make the throne the master would return to more splendid and secure.

One day, an urgent letter arrived from Kael of the estate. Kaion read the letter in his brother’s treatment chamber.

“To Young Master Kaion: Recently the situation in the monster forest has been unusual. Low-grade monsters have been found slaughtered en masse for no reason, and scouts report a sinister, evil aura deep in the woods unlike before. It is as if… a larger predator has awakened from slumber.”

Kaion clenched his fist. A new threatening shadow was falling over the family and estate his brother had tried so hard to protect.

A month later, on a certain night.

As usual, Kaion held his brother’s hand and quietly recounted the day’s events. Then it happened: Rian’s finger, which had shown no movement, twitched very slightly.

“…Rian?”

Kaion blinked in disbelief and stared at his brother’s face. After a moment, Rian’s eyelids, closed tight for months, slowly, very slowly opened.

In his brother’s eyes, now met again, there was no longer the innocence of a thirteen-year-old. In their place sat an abyssal wisdom and a coldness that seemed to pierce everything.

“…Brother.”

A hoarse voice broke the silence.

“While I slept… did anything interesting happen?”

The shadow had finally awoken from its long slumber.