Chapter 273: Winter (3)

After Karon, who was in charge of reports, departed, Arthur, the captain of the knights of the Outer Church, took over his role.

Arthur was an exemplary knight, which explained why he insisted on wearing heavy armor even indoors.

After spending several days with him, Kang Geom-Ma had come to understand part of his personality—a tenacious man, or in other words, not very flexible.

Even so, thanks to that inflexibility, his reports were fast and accurate. He skipped unnecessary pleasantries.

“So, Director Media and Lady Meain are also present. I will first report to the Heavenly President, then address you both.”

That kind of attitude shone in situations like this. Kang Geom-Ma appreciated this quality in Arthur, which made up for his lack of tact.

“If I may read the exact contents of the urgent message—”

Arthur bowed his head toward Kang Geom-Ma, avoiding eye contact as if standing before an emperor.

“‘The hero Leon van Reinhardt has been sighted in the heart of the demon world.’ That was the last message received from the Auditore.”

Suppressing his confusion, Arthur completed the report.

“We’ve tried to reestablish contact, but have had no success. It could be due to environmental differences between Gehenna and this world, but given the severity of the situation, it’s very likely that something happened.”

Kang Geom-Ma barely reacted outwardly, but his mind was boiling with thoughts.

‘The day of the Joaquin incident… Leon was chatting with that demon.’

He rubbed his forehead and recalled.

The demon who spoke with Leon resembled Kuarne, the Second Corps Commander. Perhaps it was an avatar.

But the more he thought about it, the more he felt it wasn’t the real Kuarne.

‘As similar as he looked, he didn’t have Kuarne’s overwhelming aura.’

Besides, if it had been him, he wouldn’t have fallen so easily.

‘What matters isn’t whether it was Kuarne or not.’

He shook his head. His thoughts were going in pointless directions.

The crucial question was why Leon had met someone like that—not who that someone was.

During his hospitalization, Leon had refused all visitors.

When Kang Geom-Ma went to see him on his discharge date, the nurse told him Leon had already left two days prior. He had fled the academy.

They couldn’t even trace his whereabouts.

The phone number listed in his documents didn’t respond, and his supposed family in Germany turned out to be nonexistent.

Everything about Leon was a lie.

And that gave Kang Geom-Ma a strong sense of déjà vu. He only knew one other person whose entire background was a complete fabrication.

Himself, Kang Geom-Ma.

Because he—

‘The body you possessed upon arriving in this world was Lycan’s, the true Demon Sword.’

And Lycan had been the First Corps Commander of the demon army.

That’s why everything about his past had been completely erased.

The same could be true for Leon.

If every connection he had to this world was false, only one possibility remained.

‘Leon is also deeply linked to the demons.’

He didn’t believe Leon had a demon’s body like himself. It was just a hunch, but he trusted it.

At the very least, Leon wasn’t a demon like he was.

“Heavenly Sword, please issue an order.”

Arthur slightly raised his head while still kneeling.

There would be time to think later.

Kang Geom-Ma began organizing the situation.

“This must be kept secret. Make sure nothing leaks.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And once you leave here, contact the unit stationed in Hawaii. Tell them not to approach the gate under any circumstances, and absolutely do not attempt to enter.”

Arthur’s eyes widened.

‘Isn’t he going to rescue the Auditore in the demon world?’

That’s what his eyes said.

He understood. It could seem cold and heartless. But his warning had a solid basis.

“Gehenna is extremely harmful to humans.

Anyone not specially trained could contract incurable diseases. You know this better than I do.”

“Ah… yes.”

“That’s why the Auditore spent months training for adaptation to the demon world. If we send heroes directly to rescue them, it would be a suicide mission.”

“I’m sorry for not understanding your deeper intention. Please forgive the interruption. Please continue.”

“No need for apologies.”

Arthur’s speech was as elaborate as his armor. Over-the-top chivalrous.

“In any case, the Auditore are extremely agile, even among heroes. Sending a rescue team now would be premature.”

At the word “but,” Arthur swallowed hard.

“…That doesn’t mean we’ll abandon them. They went under my orders. Their fate is my responsibility.”

“That can’t be!”

Arthur shot up, his armor clanking.

“We cannot allow you to go personally! Instead, we’ll send knights from our order. While few, some are trained in demon world adaptation. We can send them to scout the area before you—”

“I never said I was going.”

“…Pardon?”

Arthur looked dumbfounded.

“Who knows the geography of the demon world best?”

“Well I suppose the demons do.”

“Correct. Then we can get one of them to tell us how the Auditore are doing.”

Arthur was stunned. If the pope had seen him, he would have said he looked like an idiot.

“Ah!”

Suddenly, Arthur shouted with a eureka expression.

“You captured those dark elves and imprisoned them in the Association’s prison! Then what you mean is… use them as a reconnaissance team!”

According to recent reports, the dark elves in the underground prison were living well. They enjoyed plant-based meat and had gained weight.

Their once-ashen skin was now so fair they looked more like normal elves.

“They’re no good.”

Kang Geom-Ma shook his head.

“Dark elves are sly by nature. If we release them into the demon world, they’ll escape. If we send escorts, they’ll attack them before fleeing.”

Their appearance hadn’t changed their nature.

He had killed half of them himself.

They surely held a grudge. Waiting in their cave, like in the Dangun bear myth.

‘Besides, I have other plans for the dark elves.’

After all, they needed to earn the food they were consuming.

“What if I go?”

Then Meain, who had been silently sipping tea, spoke up.

“I’ve lived for decades in the demon world, so I have magical resistance. Even if communication devices don’t work, I can send simple messages.”

She snapped her fingers.

That meant she could use magic.

“Using mana as a medium, I can transmit messages to the human world. And since Gehenna is rich in mana, I believe I can do it.”

Kang Geom-Ma looked at her closely and replied.

“I appreciate it, but you can’t go either. I’d feel uncomfortable sending someone who just returned back to the demon world. Also, even if you rushed to Hawaii, it would take 8 hours. We don’t know what’s happening right now. We can’t waste time.”

“Th-then, what do we do?”

Arthur began pacing in place, flustered.

“If it’s not a sacred knight, and not a dark elf, there’s no one you can send.”

After Arthur, who didn’t know what to do, fell silent, I turned to Meain and asked.

“If you can make magical contact using mana as a medium, then the reverse should also be possible, right?”

“Yes. Maybe not just anywhere, but at Joaquin Academy it’s definitely possible. The Academy not only has the special building, but is famous for its abundant magical currents.”

I nodded and immediately put on my coat. Arthur shouted behind me.

“Where are you going?!”

Without even looking back, I ran out of the director’s office.

I was headed to Choi Seol-Ah’s house.

***

Twisted old trees grotesquely shaped, an ashen wasteland, a blood-red sky.

The black sun that lit this world reflected its sinister nature clearly. Even breathing was difficult.

It was because the air, dense with magical power, clung to the lungs like sticky sludge.

That discomfort wasn’t an exception even for Altair, who had faced all kinds of battlefields.

However, at that moment, the patriarch had forgotten all about it.

Something even darker disturbed him.

“You’re going to have to explain why you’re here.”

He held his S-grade sword out in front of him. Though his voice was calm, his gaze was fierce.

At the tip of his sword stood a young man.

Hair shining like gold, brilliant blue eyes.

The boy stood completely composed, unaffected by the hostility.

“Leon van Reinhardt.”

Leon didn’t answer. He merely looked silently at all the members of the Auditore family.

Just that alone dried the patriarch’s lips. Leon’s expressionless face was enough to tense even someone who had devoted his life to the battlefield.

Without breaking eye contact, Altair sent a mental message to Knox.

“Did you send the report to the Heavenly Sword?”

“Yes, Patriarch. But there’s no response. It seems the communication system has been blocked.”

Altair nodded slightly.

“No matter, we anticipated this. Still, the message had to be sent. I doubt the hero will just let us go. Besides, this is the Demon Territory. Enemies could appear at any time. Everyone except me, return immediately.”

“Patriarch!”

The Auditore members protested in unison, but the patriarch raised his voice sternly.

“That’s an order from the patriarch. Disobey, and you’ll be punished under the regulations.”

Even so, the assassins didn’t move. All drew their weapons with determined faces.

“The Heavenly Sword gave us an order.”

Knox stepped up beside the patriarch.

“We all have to return alive.”

He said it loudly.

“That includes you too, Grandpa.”

At that moment, everyone instinctively looked up.

“……!”

A white figure was seated in the air, back to the black sun.

The contrast of white against black made the hearts of those watching tremble. Elite-trained assassins broke into cold sweat.

“Looks like some rats have slipped in.”

The figure slowly opened their eyes.

Their pupils were so pale only the outline could be seen. Their gaze fell on Leon.

“A cleanup is in order, nephew.”

A death sentence had been pronounced.

Leon’s face twisted. He hesitated for a brief second, but had no choice.

Ching!

The blade of Balmung, wrapped in purple and white hues, was drawn.

It looked like mold clinging to a sword.

Kuarne closed his eyes again, a mocking smile on his face.

“I’ll eliminate all of you here.”

Leon spoke the words with a face full of pain. The patriarch replied as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“…Hero, do you realize what you’re doing right now?”

“You’ll die here either way, with or without me. If you face Kuarne, the outcome won’t change. It’s like trying to reason with a natural disaster.”

Leon gripped the Balmung tightly.

“Patriarch, dying by my hand will be better than being captured and tortured by that monster.”

“Absurd.”

The patriarch scoffed.

“How much are you underestimating us to say something so foolish to the Auditore clan?”

A line of blood dripped from his left eye. The Auditore members readied themselves for battle.

“Prepare yourselves…!”

Leon looked up. Kuarne, who had been closing his eyes until then, also looked up. He slightly opened them.

At that moment, a flock began to circle the black sun, spiraling downward and casting a round shadow over Kuarne’s head.

Whoooosh.

A whirlwind swept through the sticky air. That gust brought an unexpected freshness to the humans frozen in fear.

Tap.

A figure descended. Just before touching the ground, it had the form of a massive beast, but in the blink of an eye, it turned into a man.

The patriarch stepped forward.

“…Who are you?”

“Valerion.”

The man who responded looked at Kuarne.

“What are you doing here… Fallen Dragon?”

Kuarne spoke with a cold voice.

“My granddaughter asked me to.”

The Dragon Lord replied indifferently.

“They must be saved.”