Chapter 406: The Secret of the Thousand-Year Ice Cave (1)

Darryl Harian came up to Karyl, who stood silently by the window, gazing out into the dark.

“Smooth sailing, huh?” Darryl remarked. “Isn’t it amazing that the Nephilim’s Celestial Fortress resembles the magitech system of golems?”

He had changed back into his white robe, adorned with the symbol of the Golden Cross Association.

“At this pace, we should arrive at the Blood Cave by tomorrow,” he added.

Karyl briefly glanced at him before looking away.

“Just as I expected, the Nephilim have retreated, but that means we won’t have their support either.”

“We’ve gained the power of the Demon Realm instead.”

“Can demons truly be trusted?” Darryl argued.

“Is trusting demons any different from trusting you?”

Karyl’s sharp reply brought a bitter smile to Darryl’s face.

“Darryl, just how much do you know?” Karyl’s eyes narrowed sharply. “When we met again in the Thousand-Year Ice Cave, you said you were waiting for the rightful king. That had to do with choosing a divine successor, didn’t it? So tell me. Do you know what lies in that cave?”

Darryl shook his head. “I’m merely a guide. I haven’t seen what’s inside.”

“Is that so?” Karyl narrowed his eyes, watching him closely, but Darryl didn’t avoid his gaze. He didn’t appear to be lying.

“There’s a tower.”

“...A tower?”

“There are two Thousand-Year Ice Caves in the north,” Karyl explained. “One holds the remains of the Blader who led the Mythical Age, while the other conceals a tower buried deep beneath the ice.”

Darryl couldn’t hide his astonishment at Karyl’s revelation.

“The Golden Cross Association is another legacy left by Kaye Aesir. He found and safeguarded the ancient tome, Polsetia, and sought guardians to protect it. We have preserved his legacy as its keepers, but...” Darryl spoke carefully, “we’re only the protectors, with no intention of meddling beyond that. Secrets lose meaning the more people know of them.”

“But you need to understand this. From the moment you entrusted Polsetia to me, you were already involved.”

Darryl shrugged. “As I mentioned back in the Thousand-Year Ice Cave, this is personal.”

“Kaye Aesir also died without completing his life’s work. You could say our purpose is to fulfill what he could not.”

“You mean the resurrection of the Great Beasts.”

“Yes.” Darryl reached down to gently stroke the head of the small deer beside him. “The Great Beasts are creatures infused with spirit power. They were assumed extinct, but rather than vanishing, their origins were sealed, severing their legacy.”

“By legacy, you mean...”

“The Spirit Kings. The resurrection of the Rasis and Duaat, the Spirit Kings of Light and Darkness, was all thanks to you. And because of that, Alkar was reborn as well.”

Darryl then turned to Karyl. “Kaye Aesir left us a message before he disappeared.”

“And that was?”

Darryl looked into Karyl’s eyes. “In the time of great upheaval, the Great Beasts will grant humans a new power. When the master of the spirits appears, present him with Polsetia to revive the Great Beasts.”

Karyl’s gaze shifted to Alkar, the divine fawn.

“This little deer—what help could it possibly provide?”

“I can’t say,” Darryl replied, “but it’s certain that along with the Divine Deer, the White Spirit Wolf Roarvrok and the Blue Turtle Kalduan vanished from the world when the Spirit Kings were sealed. These beings are both the offspring of the spirits and the vital links between the spirits and the human realm.”

“So if the Divine Beasts live, the power of the spirits will grow even further.”

“Exactly.”

“Kaye Aesir foresaw their return... and ordered you to revive them.”

“Yes.”

“Hah... unbelievable.” Karyl let out a cold, bitter laugh as he looked at Darryl Harian. “What the hell was he... really?”

He muttered his name once more, under his breath. “Kaye Aesir...”

Just then—

“Airship approaching! It’s the Guidance Mercenary Gang!”

A red dot appeared on the magical screen installed by Wingel, tracking their approach to the Blood Cave. The airship was nearing quickly.

Karyl nodded firmly as his subordinate relayed the report. “Allow them to dock, but have all anti-aerial cannons aimed at the ship. If they try anything, fire.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Also, inform Ganeth. Have the Wyvern Squadron intercept the airship.”

“Yes, my lord.”

As if he had been waiting for this moment, Karyl glanced to the side, his gaze drifting toward the window of the Celestial Fortress.

“Another man who knows the truth about the rightful king has arrived. From here on, I think it’s best we continue this conversation with him,” Darryl Harian proposed with a faint smile.

Though the Guidance Mercenary Gang hadn’t taken part in the battle against the Nephilim, Karyl never once assumed they had just been sitting idle. After all, he had entrusted Gordon with something—a personal request. And now that Gordon had returned, it could only mean one thing.

He had brought someone important with him.

“If Gordon is here, you know what that means. To reach Tramel, where the Blood Cave lies, you have to pass through that man’s territory.”

Karyl had been waiting for someone. And as the thought connected in his mind, he turned to Darryl Harian, who was still standing beside him.

“Of course. He’s the last person alive who knows the secret of the Thousand-Year Ice Cave. Anyway, I’ll take my leave.”

“It’s going to get noisy. He’s the most formidable of the Sword Masters. And the one he’s brought with him isn’t any less of a headache. If they start causing a scene, it won’t be pretty.”

Darryl let out a soft laugh. “For you to call someone else formidable, now that sounds out of place. Even if it’s Gordon Fabian, I doubt he’d try to cause trouble here, of all places. Not in front of you.”

“You never know. He’s not the kind of man who’d back down out of fear of death. He’s also someone who knows the secret of the Thousand-Year Ice Cave.”

“Which just means he’ll be all the more inclined to follow you.”

“Or... the opposite. When I said it might get messy, I wasn’t talking about me. I meant you.”

At that, Darryl shrugged. He then gave a polite bow and turned to leave.

Darryl shrugged, gave a polite bow, and turned to leave.

“You still haven’t answered my question.” Karyl stopped him.

“Is it about Kaye Aesir? You said he created the Golden Cross Association, but I’m not an elf or a dragon, so what could I possibly know about someone who lived 250 years ago?”

“Hmm...”

“We simply carry out his will.”

And with that, Darryl Harian quietly left the command room. Karyl kept his eyes on him as he left, tilting his head slightly as if deep in thought.

[Be careful, Karyl.]

Allen’s voice echoed in his mind.

[He’s still hiding something. When he guided us through the Thousand-Year Ice Cave, he claimed he didn’t know what was inside, but I don’t think we can afford to take that at face value. Besides, he never really explained what he was after either.]

“I’m not worried. He won’t betray us.”

[What makes you so sure?]

“Because what we saw inside the Thousand-Year Ice Cave... He needs it too. That’s why he showed up wearing that red robe, the kind only Kaye Aesir ever wore.”

[Tch... I still don’t trust him. People who ask to be trusted without laying themselves bare—they’re the ones who stab you in the back.]

Karyl nodded slowly. “You’re right. He’s definitely hiding something. And there’s one thing that confirms it. What would most people say about someone from 250 years ago?”

[They’d refer to him as a dead man.]

“Exactly. Everyone speaks of the Great Sorcerer as someone long gone. But what did Darryl say just now?”

[...No way.]

“He said that Kaye Aesir

disappeared

, not that he died. He knows more than he lets on, and he’s choosing not to tell us. Still, that much is enough for us to confirm what we discovered in the Thousand-Year Ice Cave.”

Karyl let out a scoff, as if Darryl’s secrecy was already within the scope of what he had predicted.

“And that same rule applies... to the ones on their way here right now.”

Tzzzzzzzt...

With its power core roaring, the airship descended and touched down on the surface of the Celestial Fortress. The Free Army stationed there stood at the ready, weapons aimed on the descending vessel.

As he looked over the perfectly aligned soldiers, Gordon realized just how much stronger Karyl’s forces had become.

“Karyl, you’ve stirred up quite the storm.”

Gordon glanced at the troops and shrugged.

“You’ve arrived at the perfect time. We’ll save the greetings for later. I just finished gathering everyone I need for what comes next.”

“I can’t believe something like this would happen the moment I return from the Thousand-Year Ice Cave... You truly are as unpredictable as ever.”

“I figured the Nephilim would target the continent sooner or later. After all, I did kill their messenger.”

“But no one imagined you’d go as far as to seize the Celestial Fortress, a relic from the Celestial Realm itself. Not even me. Not even the Nephilim you fought would’ve thought it possible.”

“That makes two of us.”

At that moment, the doors of the Celestial Fortress opened, and a man on wyvern-back entered Karyl’s field of vision.

“You’ve arrived.”

His face was concealed beneath his hood, but the sharp, composed aura he radiated made his identity unmistakable.

He was none other than Alteman.

“...Phew.”

As Alteman dismounted and removed his hood, his face looked slightly gaunt.

Come to think of it... he’s been gone since the coronation ceremony...

Only now did people realize that he hadn’t appeared at all during the battle against the Nephilim.

“What about the thing I asked you to look into?”

“Just as you suspected. I’ll give a full report later.”

Karyl nodded at his answer. Those nearby couldn’t help but take notice of the exchange.

Our lord gave him a separate order? If Alteman’s been gone since before the coronation... that means he gave it before departing for the north...

And even then, he was already planning this next move... Incredible.

Anthem and Dushala, Karyl’s closest advisors, looked between the two men in stunned silence.

“Gordon, you didn’t come all this way just by yourself, did you?”

“The Guidance Mercenary Gang always sees a contract through.” With a faint smirk, Gordon jerked his chin over his shoulder.

A man walked down the steps of the airship, and Karyl’s expression hardened the moment he laid eyes on him.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

It was none other than Kuwell McGovern.

“A brutal war is about to begin. But before that... I believe there’s something we need to address.”

Karyl looked between Kuwell, Gordon, and Alteman.

“At last, the stage is set. And now, all the key players have stepped into place.” His voice rang out, firm and resolute. “Let’s talk about the true secret of the Thousand-Year Ice Cave.”