RGS Vol 6 Part 21

Abel knelt down next to the spring without hesitation and searched the dry ground with his hands. After a while, as expected, he was able to grab something wrapped in a small pouch. Though it was too dark to see well, he untied the string and took out the wooden pendant inside.

Fumble.

He felt the dragon’s pattern with his fingertips. As soon as he confirmed it, a rush of excitement made his heart race. It was an item found with great difficulty after sacrificing everything. Abel pushed aside his urge to get lost in his emotions and tried to recall a memory. There was information the Commander of the Royal Guards had obtained from the Marquis’ household.

‘When the Marquis tested Erei, he said to call the dragon’s name twice after choosing the item.’

The dragon’s name. Abel called the dragon’s name used in the temple twice, praying earnestly.

Show me something. Let me uncover the secrets of Truyde’s household so that I can save the prince and the others.

He tightly closed his eyes, but despite his fervent wish, nothing changed around him even after a long time.

“Huh? It didn’t work?”

Did he call the wrong name?

Abel, panicked, repeated it several times, but just like the ruins of the forest, he only saw darkness with his eyes closed. The magic that was supposed to show him the past didn’t work. Abel bit his lips as he opened his eyes, unwilling to accept this outcome.

He looked down at the wooden pendant in his hands, disappointment spreading through his chest. This is the real one. The engraving of “Eppel” on the back by the prince was definitely there.

But why?

Is it because I reincarnated, and I am not recognized as the real Regas?

Or is it just something that looks like the Marquis’ item but has no power?

However, Abel soon shook his head. No, there must be a reason why this wooden pendant was important in his sect for generations. Though they could no longer enter the palace, so perhaps later generations did not know, however, its role should be the same as the Marquis’ wooden pendant.

Then why did nothing happen when I called the dragon’s name?

Honestly, when he entered the forest, his main thought was to find the wooden pendant and uncover the secrets of Truyde’s household first. He also had a strong sense of urgency to save the prince first and neutralized Truyde’s power to save the others. Thus, he believed that finding the wooden pendant would solve everything, but now another problem has arisen.

Abel struggled to remain calm, resisting the urge to collapse as his legs weakened. Given the situation, he needed to find out what could be done. He looked down at the wooden pendant again. The wooden pendant was real, and he was the real Regas, but nothing was happening.

Then what was wrong?

Did he receive false information from the Marquis household?

It wasn’t about calling the dragon’s name twice… wait, what?

In an instant, Abel realized what the problem was.

The dragon’s name.

The name he had called was the one used in the temple. It was a name given by later generations that meant the ‘Dragon of Fire’. Abel stared down blankly at the wooden pendant and recalled the words his master had proudly bragged so much that they were engraved in his ears.

“This is the treasure of our sect that has been passed down since the kingdom was founded.”

When the kingdom was established, it was still a time when dragons existed. Therefore, the person who made the wooden pendant at that time would have called the real name of the dragon. With this realization, Abel took a deep breath that he had been holding. A new problem loomed before him, but instead of despair, he felt a small thrill in his heart.

The wooden pendant and the dragon.

It felt like he would find out the whole truth if he could cross the final peak. However, to do that, he needed to get out and search the library. The immediate reality was that he couldn’t use it right away. Thinking about his companions struggling outside, Abel turned back.

There must be something I can do.

If nothing else works, I’ll fight with a sword.

It was time to think of his last resort. As he turned his gaze absentmindedly, something caught his eye. Like someone entranced, Abel couldn’t take his gaze away from it for a moment before slowly turning his eyes. Looking at the vast, blackened land on the horizon, a belated question came to mind.

Why is it so empty?

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

As soon as the lid was opened, a foul smell spread everywhere. What was placed in front of the emperor that day was not a plate full of food as usual. It was a bottle the size of a palm, filled with a thick black liquid.

“Your Majesty is indeed a strong person. Therefore, I thought a befitting prescription was necessary.”

Truyde was the first to utter such brazen words. By placing the black potion openly before the emperor, he was demanding his life, albeit without holding a knife to his throat. He then smiled baring his teeth.

“Drink it, Your Majesty. By drinking this, you will become the true ruler of this land, just like all the great kings of the past generations.”

Karas, leaning back in his chair, looked down at the potion for a long time before finally lifting his hazy eyes. Before looking at Truyde, his gaze briefly fell on the war profiteer and Norhox, but he didn’t seem to notice anything unusual, so he just glanced at them.

However, if one looked closely, it was clear that the two who were sitting with their eyes lowered looked like dolls. Still, under the influence of the poison, they appeared ready to obediently follow their master’s command quietly. However, the voice giving the commands was speaking to someone else.

“Forgive me for not giving this to you sooner. I was too weak to understand Your Majesty’s concern about the game coming to an end. Tomorrow is the day Your Majesty will show off your power, isn’t it? That’s why I prepared this to ensure you don’t win too easily and lose interest. This, along with what you’ll drink tomorrow, will surely satisfy Your Majesty.”

In truth, there was no need for anything for tomorrow. He poured all the remaining black potion into that bottle. If that didn’t finish it, there was no retreat for Truyde anyway. Thus, it was bound to be enough to satisfy him. Perhaps sensing this, Karas finally uttered a word as he reached out to grab the bottle.

“Satisfied?”

Truyde followed Karas’ hand with a sharp gaze and promised.

“Yes, I swear on my family. If you drink this, you will definitely be satisfied tomorrow.”

It was a shame he wouldn’t have the leisure to feel satisfied, as he would become a living corpse, never to awaken. And if by some miracle he did open his eyes, he planned to personally slit his throat. This was his chance to end this tiresome confrontation. Truyde imagined the red blood spurting from Karas’ neck as he provoked him one last time. In a gentle voice, as if understanding everything, he then asked.

“Ah, surely you’re not afraid to drink because you fear you might lose, are you?”

Karas’ hand provided the answer to the question. Truyde watched, holding his breath, as the last of the remaining black potion was brought to Karas’ lips. He had made the antidote, attempted poisoning him in return, and hidden the real Regas and the wooden pendant. He must have thought he was the winner.

However, in Truyde’s eyes, the emperor was just a fool, drinking poison despite knowing it was poison. A useless person just like the previous kings.

You want a game?

Fine, I’ll end it for you.

Drink!

As he watched the bottle touch Karas’ lips, a slow question was heard.

“What if I’m not satisfied?”

Still, what if I easily win?

Karas’ childish question made Truyde twist his lips.

“Then we’ll end the game. I’ll give up my life.”

After receiving the answer, Karas looked Truyde in the eye as he slowly drank all the potion.

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

The flames that began to blaze at the entrance of the forest were bright enough to be seen even from afar. Next to them, long poles were set up, each with a freshly severed human head stuck on top. They belonged to the soldiers who had been guarding around the library for days.

“Hurry up! Pour more oil on the bonfire so that the escapee can see them!”

Spurred on by Truyde’s subordinate urging them, the soldiers’ movements quickened. Although the flames were already rising high and emitting black smoke, Truyde’s subordinate wanted the fire to be as bright as day. That way, even from afar, the escapee who were drawn to this light would come.

Like flames swaying in the wind, he too, was also burning with impatience. He had to somehow drag out the person who had escaped into the forest before the sun rose. Otherwise, Truyde would push him in there instead.

Truyde’s subordinate assumed that the person who fled into the forest was dead, but thinking of Truyde’s enraged face, he knew he had to bring someone back, even if it meant bringing someone who didn’t exist anymore. If the escapee was truly alive, he would frighten them into coming out. In that case, showing the head of someone directly related to them would be more effective than these mere soldiers.

“Bring that one over.”

At his command, two soldiers dragged the butler forward. The butler trembled as he saw the heads mounted on the poles, but he tried to suppress his fear by gritting his teeth. Amused by his expression, Truyde’s subordinate sneered.

“What a pathetic sight. Get down on your stomach and beg like a dog. Then perhaps I might extend your life a bit longer.”

However, the butler kept his mouth shut and his gaze down. Annoyed by the butler’s silent defiance, Truyde’s subordinate drew his sword fiercely.

“Soon, you’re going to have your head cut off and mounted on a pole like those others. So, beg. I’m offering you more time to live.”

“……”

“Ha! I guess you need to bleed a bit to come to your senses.”

Truyde’s subordinate gestured to a nearby soldier, and after a while, someone else was dragged in just like the butler. Having been severely beaten, he couldn’t walk properly without being supported by soldiers on either side, and his head hung low. Therefore, the butler couldn’t see his face even when the soldiers threw him to the ground.

However, the butler’s eyes soon widened in shock.

“N-Nani!”

The butler cried out in shock and tried to approach him, but the soldiers holding him didn’t let go. Fortunately, Nani managed to lift his bruised face at the butler’s voice.

“Ah, butler.”

Nani struggled to move his lips and muttered with pride.

“He escaped to the safe forest. Don’t worry… Ugh!”

Nani screamed mid-sentence as Truyde’s subordinate kicked him. The butler was helpless, unable to do anything. Truyde’s subordinate wasn’t satisfied with just kicking him; he also placed the edge of his sword against Nani’s neck. When the sharp blade wounded Nani’s neck, the butler gasped. Only then did Truyde’s subordinate bared his teeth and smile in satisfaction.

“Now this is getting interesting. Watch closely as I cut this one’s head off. Once dawn comes, the same thing will happen to you.”

Seeing the butler’s wavering eyes, he raised his sword high. The fire had only been lit for a short time, so the one who escaped might not have seen the flames yet. No, if they had hidden deep inside, they likely wouldn’t have seen it. Well, if they weren’t a fool, they would have fled deep into the forest.

Nevertheless, Truyde’s subordinate had no choice but to use the fire and threaten a person’s life to make them come forward. In any case, he had to show Truyde that he had done everything he could.

Who knows?

With luck, perhaps the escapee might see the bright fire.

And if curiosity drew them here, the best bait to lure them all the way out would be a familiar face. Holding his sword tightly with both hands, Truyde’s subordinate raised it high. Just as the butler was about to close his eyes tightly, a soldier’s urgent shout was heard.

“Ah! They, they came out!”

Came out?

Truyde’s subordinate turned his head, and even Nani, who could barely open his swollen eyes, raised his head. From the direction of the dark forest where their gazes were fixed, something indeed appeared. A moving black figure. Its elongated shape soon revealed it was a person, not an animal.

Shortly after, a face appeared within the area illuminated by the fire. Truyde’s subordinate couldn’t believe it was the one who had fled into the forest and couldn’t take his eyes off the figure. However, someone’s presence he had forgotten for a moment confirmed it.

“Ah, no! Don’t come out, Young Master!”