Chapter 35: This is All For Sefira (1)

Gant, who came in place of Reganon, led Keter to a vast, dense garden.

Seeing no clear destination, Keter muttered under his breath, “At this rate, we’ll end up in the empire.”

“If you wish to live as a noble of a prestigious family, you should grow your patience,” Gant replied.

Gant stopped in front of a pond, more precisely, behind a large statue built next to it.

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to lecture me in a cliché spot like this.”

“I won’t say the thought hasn’t crossed my mind.”

Gant removed his helmet and pressed the heel of the statue. Then, a hidden secret door quietly emerged from the ground.

“Are you living underground like some kind of evil organization?”

“This is the archive where all of Sefira’s history is stored, so please show some respect.”

“To the history? Or to the elder?”

“To both.”

“That’s going to be tough for me since I lack empathy.”

Gant did not stop walking as he frowned. The archive they arrived at was surprisingly large, especially compared to the narrow staircase they had descended. On top of that, it was as bright as day even though it was underground. They didn’t use candles or torches, but there was a self-illuminating stone embedded in the ceiling.

“Wow, that’s a sun stone, right?”

It was different from a light stone, which emitted light through magic. Like its name, the sun stone emitted light like the sun; according to some research, it was found to be able to shine for five hundred years continuously. Even a sun stone the size of a fist was worth thousands of gold, but here, there were dozens of stones the size of a human head embedded in the ceiling.

“My mouth is watering.”

As Keter licked his lips looking at the ceiling, Gant gave a stern warning.

“Do not even think of stealing the sun stones. As you can see, this place is guarded by the Order of the Galaxy.”

True to Gant’s words, knights were stationed all around. They were the members of Sefira’s strongest force, the Order of the Galaxy. Keter clicked his tongue in response.

“What’s the point of being the family’s strongest force if they’re just standing around here? Knights weren’t trained for this.”

“This archive holds the entire history of the family. Each shelf is a part of that history. Don’t you know the saying that a family without its history is no better than a band of thieves?”

“If it’s that important, you should make multiple copies and store it in different places. As it stands now, all an intruder has to do is set a fire, and everything will burn to the ground.”

Keter found another reason for Sefira’s downfall. Even though there wasn’t enough manpower, they were keeping the family’s strongest knights stuck in a place like this. He couldn’t understand it. Even if he pretended to, this was still a huge waste.

Are they unaware of the family’s crisis, or are they determined to protect this place no matter what to continue the tradition of Sefira? Whoever ordered this is clearly making a huge mistake. The moment I have any say, I’ll make sure these knights wasting time here will be put to work every single day without fail.

“...Let's hurry.”

Unable to argue with Keter, Gant only quickened his pace instead. They soon arrived at a door, which was labeled as an office.

Gant declared, “This is Lord Keter. We are entering.”

Creak.

The knights guarding the door pulled the handle and opened it.

Just as Keter was about to enter, Gant leaned in and whispered in his ear, “Do not be disrespectful in front of Lord Reganon. I can tolerate insults directed at me, but I will not tolerate any toward the lord.”

Thud!

Keter slammed the back of his head into Gant’s forehead. Gant staggered back, clutching his nose.

“G-Gant, you...”

The guard at the door pointed at Gant's nose. Soon, Gant felt something wet on his fingers.

“Blood...!”

Keter’s headbutt had made Gant’s nose start bleeding.

Turning toward Gant, Keter said, “I thought it was some bug buzzing in my ear, but it was you? Geez, why are you blowing air in people’s ears like that? You're not some kind of creep, are you?”

“You little...!”

“Elder Reganon is waiting, so I'll head in first. You can come in after your nose stops bleeding.”

Then, Keter slipped into the audience room.

The guards shut the door behind him and said, “Do as the kid says and stop the bleeding before you go in. You cannot let Lord Reganon see you like that.”

“Hmph...!”

While Gant went off to stop the bleeding, Keter finally came face-to-face with Reganon, something he had been waiting for.

* * *

“Flowers are blooming, so it must be spring,” murmured Reganon, as if reciting a poem.

He was sitting and reading a book. Keter ignored him and glanced around the room. It was more of a library than an office. The room had three floors, with deep shadows cast beyond the bookshelves, indicating there was more space behind them.

Even the dirt floors are completely clean. Proof that he's lost it.

As Keter continued to examine the room, Reganon said once more, “Even without snow, the sight of one's breath tells us that winter has arrived.”

“Have you gone senile?”

Finished with his observations, Keter stood before Reganon. Reganon set down his book. His gaunt figure looked less pitiful and more like an enlightened monk.

“Do you not understand the meaning of my words, Keter?”

“I'm not a fan of speaking in riddles.”

“What I'm saying is that to the Sefira family, you are both the scorching summer sun and the biting winter wind.”

“A guest has come, and you don't even offer tea? How stingy you are.”

Keter, who didn’t pay attention to nonsense, ignored Reganon. At how he was acting, Reganon stood up.

“I don't drink tea. Tea, after all, is pure water mixed with impurities—much like you.”

“Now you're starting to make sense. Did you call me here to threaten me? Something like if I don't leave, you’ll kill me?”

“It's not a threat; it's a notice.”

Reganon slowly walked toward his desk. His pace was so slow that Keter, tired of waiting, sat down in a chair first.

Hearing the sound of Keter sitting, Reganon, without turning around, said, “You received an assignment from the patriarch, didn't you?”

“I heard that you assign all those missions. Impressive.”

“Knowing Besil's personality, he probably didn't tell you, so I'll explain instead. Our Sefira family is in a crisis right now.”

“Interesting. The prestigious Sefira family is in a crisis? Is someone threatening you with a knife?”

“I know what you're thinking. You probably thought you could live a life of luxury by leeching on our family, but it's the opposite. If you grow too close to our family, you'll end up dead.”

“You said it wasn’t a threat, but now you're predicting my death.”

Reganon delayed his response. He had finally reached the desk. Picking up an envelope from the desk, Reganon turned to Keter and said, “It won't be me who kills you; it’ll be the world.”

The look in Keter’s eyes changed.

This old man... Even though he's being vague, he's telling me the current situation and the future of the Sefira family.

Though it was obvious why Reganon called him, Keter found it intriguing because what Reganon was saying wasn’t.

Keter took a deep breath, pretending to be deep in thought.

That orange scent I smelled before... it's not here now.

When Keter had met Reganon in the audience room, there had been a lingering scent of oranges on him. But now, Reganon only smelled like dry, musty books. The atmosphere around him was damp like a gloomy basement.

There's no visible evidence, but it's clear he's been digging behind the scenes.

The Order of the Galaxy that Keter saw on his way here guarded this place without rest, meaning if Reganon were to do anything suspicious, the knights would know. But the fact that they were staying silent meant one of two things: either they had betrayed Sefira along with Reganon, or Reganon had been in contact with outsiders without even the knights' knowledge.

Both are possible.

𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Moving leisurely, almost too slowly, Reganon finally stood before Keter and handed over the documents he'd brought.

“It’d be great if this was pocket money.”

Crumple.

Keter opened the envelope and shook the contents into his hand. Then, a thousand-gold bill fell out.

Oh! He was really going to give me... Wait, never mind.

A piece of identification fell out along with the bill.

“Imperial identification? This is quite a rare item.”

It was an exquisitely forged counterfeit of an imperial identification document, proof of citizenship in the Samael Empire.

Reganon sat down in a chair far from Keter, rather than directly across from him, and said, “When you arrive in Hacose Village, go to the Pumpkin Leaf Inn. My subordinate will be there waiting for you with a carriage, and you can use that to quietly disappear.”

Keter tucked the thousand-gold bill and the identification document into his pocket. Seeing this, Reganon gave a faint smile.

“A wise choice. You’ll thank me for this one day. But remember, you must not reveal your true identity even in the Samael Empire. And don’t even think about coming back.”

“Hah... Since I’m leaving, just answer me one thing.”

“What is it?”

“Who are you conspiring with?”

“...”

Keter’s question brought vitality to Reganon’s dead eyes. He glared at Keter, to which he responded with a cheeky smile.

“From what I hear, my father has made a mistake before. Is this revenge for that mistake?”

Besil killed Olive, and Reganon was Olive’s father, meaning that to Reganon, Besil was a foe who had killed his daughter.

“... Getting revenge doesn’t bring my dead daughter back.”

“But it would make you feel amazing.”

“That is only momentary. I would regret it for the rest of my life.”

“Humans do what they know they aren’t supposed to do, and I don’t think you will be any different.”

“All humans aren’t the same.”

“They aren’t that different either.”

“I answered too much to one question. It seems like you’re not going to take my offer and just the money.”

“Was it that obvious?”

“Child, I don’t know why you asked me that question, but one thing is for certain: you are clearly mistaken, about both me and Sefira. Unfortunately, you haven’t realized that.”

Ring!

As soon as Reganon rang the bell on his chair, the door opened and Gant, who cleaned up his nosebleed, rushed in and grabbed Keter’s shoulder.

“Get up, Keter.”

“You’re being short with me, Gant.”

“Don’t be mistaken. You’re not a noble yet.”

“Which means you need to be even more careful. This time, it won’t just end with a bloody nose like before.”

“What did you say?” Gant hissed in anger, having taken a hit.

At that moment, Reganon quietly said, “Keter, the only reason I tolerated your arrogance was because you are Besil’s son. But that patience has just run out.”

“You sure take your time telling me to get lost.”

Keter stood up, shrugging off Gant’s hand that was still gripping his shoulder. Gant scowled, but all he did was glare as he was mindful of Reganon’s presence.

Just before leaving, Keter turned to Reganon and asked, “Has there ever been an elder in Sefira’s history who betrayed the family?”

“...No.”

“There will be one soon.”

Reganon responded to Keter’s remark with silence. Keter, seemingly not expecting an answer, left the office without another word.

But Gant wasn’t one to just stand by and watch.

He quickly approached Reganon and whispered softly, “Just give me the order. Even if I get exiled from the family, I swear...”

“Sir Gant, if you really think for me, you should be doing it, even without the order.”

“... Yes, my lord.”

“Stop. It was just a figure of speech. I didn’t mean for you to actually do it,” Reganon told Gant, as if calming him down. “You are a knight—a proud knight of Sefira. Don’t lose your dignity over a mere reckless child.”

“I will take that to heart, my lord.”

“Make sure that boy returns safely.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Gant gave a short, firm salute and left the office. A short while later, he returned to report on Keter.

“I’ve sent him on his way,” he said to Reganon.

“There were no issues?”

“No, my lord. I didn’t even want to speak to the boy, so I stayed quiet. He didn’t say anything either.”

“Just wait a moment. I’m on the last page.”

Reganon savored the final page of the poetry book he was reading. The book was worn with use, its edges frayed and tattered. It was clear he had read it not just once or twice, but at least hundreds of times.

“‘Growth comes with pain. If it is painful, that is evidence of growth.’ It’s a good verse, isn’t it?”

“Yes, my lord. It is extremely wise.”

“Gant, I am in extreme pain right now.”

Reganon lowered the book, revealing his face. His eyes held a dark determination. It was not the gaze of a man weary of life, nor of one mourning the death of his daughter. It was the look of someone who had forsaken his life and humanity for a single purpose.

Gant, a seasoned veteran knight, gulped nervously. Reganon was an ordinary—no, a frail old man. Yet the eerie aura emanating from him chilled even Gant, who had been on the verge of death countless times.

Laying the book aside, Reganon said, “There will be no changes to the plan.”

His voice was clear and firm.

“Does that mean...”

“Instead of Katherine, we’ll send Keter first.”