Declared Dead, Exiled, and Betrayed— Now I Walk Away, but I'll Save One Who Cared - Chapter 65

I searched, but I found nothing.

Impossible.

Why?

Without a doubt, I eliminated the Puppet.

For years, I carefully laid my traps, distracting it with an irresistible allure.

Finally, the moment had come.

And yet, who was it that interfered?

There is no doubt that the cursed descendant of the Sage was involved.

That unnatural surge of magic…

And the Seeker—who is always born alongside the Puppet—was there as well.

But what else?

Why can’t I see it?

No, I do see it—yet I sense nothing.

That shouldn’t be possible.

Someone who walks with both the Sage and the Seeker should never be powerless.

Is it hidden?

Even from me, the Abyssal Demon?

How long has it been since I left the labyrinth where I was born?

How many years have I spent chasing that beloved one?

And yet, the labyrinth that appeared in Riofendarl held no trace of them.

I still do not understand its mechanisms.

But it no longer matters.

I have finally acquired the Puppet.

I will not give up.

I will reach them—

Even if I must destroy everything to do so.

That said…

This vessel is reaching its limit.

Humans are far too fragile to house my will.

And perhaps…

It was too hasty to take over one of the Sage’s bloodline.

Because of that, I was forced to act quickly and depart earlier than expected.

That fool must be suspicious.

He may have even sensed something.

But he has taken no action.

In that case, there is no need to act rashly.

For now, I will observe.

If my identity is revealed, the Sage will certainly move against me.

Even now, the situation is dangerous.

But if I can return and repair the Puppet, I will immediately transfer into it.

The King of that land did not seem to know the whereabouts of the Dreamseer, either.

Perhaps he was merely cautious of my gaze.

But he also seemed perplexed that I did not know where the Dreamseer was.

In other words…

The Dreamseer Mage is not among their allies, either.

Or…

Perhaps they, too, are hiding.

I do not yet understand why they would do such a thing.

It is obviously to defeat me, but I cannot afford to be careless.

I must return quickly to Elver Magic Kingdom and take certain precautions.

Then, I will return this body to its original place and slip away unnoticed.

That will buy me time.

At least enough to restore the Puppet and make it my new vessel.

That delightful selfishness, cruelty, and desire…

Surely, no one expected such a thing to manifest within their own bloodline.

Humans are so easily swayed by their circumstances.

This is simply the inevitable outcome.

Because of that weakness, I will claim my perfect vessel.

A new body—one that no one will be able to detect.

“Welcome home. You have done well.”

“…Yes, Father.”

The Crown Prince knelt before the King of Elver Magic Kingdom, standing before his throne.

Elver Magic Kingdom – Royal Palace

After leaving Meldor Kingdom, Prince Lienfeld did not return immediately.

Instead, he took a detour.

It wasn’t pre-planned, but since his only official duty had been to attend the ceremony, there was no formal rule against it.

But…

“I expect you will explain why you went out of your way to take a detour.”

King Lufanes—the ruler of Elver Magic Kingdom and the man once saved by Lax’s forbidden magic—spoke coldly.

His gaze bore down heavily upon his son, Prince Lienfeld.

“…How did you notice?”

Lienfeld’s voice carried a sharp edge, almost like a challenge.

“How could I not notice? Your actions were blatantly suspicious. Shining Ray!”

ZAP!

A thin beam of holy light shot through the air—piercing the earring Lienfeld had been wearing.

“I have warned you countless times not to wear enchanted artifacts carelessly.”

“…My deepest apologies.”

“All of you—”

The entire delegation flinched as the king’s magic spread, neutralizing all hidden enchantments among them.

“You should know better than to carelessly allow foreign magic to touch you.”

“I offer my deepest… regrets.”

Lufanes was not of the direct Melvina bloodline, but he had still inherited a fraction of the power that once sealed away the Abyssal Demon.

His skill in magic was undeniable.

“Do you recall what it was doing?”

*”…I am sorry. I could only sense that it was gathering something—a dark, oily presence.

“It was not malicious in intent… yet it was utterly vile.”*

“I see…”

“Your Majesty!”

A knight rushed in, clutching a letter.

The seal belonged to the King of Meldor.

*”This must be from Meldor’s King. Let me see…

“It appears they believe it was searching for both the Dreamseer and the Guardian.

“But based on its movements…

“No.

“It was following the traces of Riofendarl’s daughter.

“If so, then it must be after the Puppet.”*

“That can’t be. Riofendarl’s daughter is dead. Isn’t she?”

“She should be… but what if she isn’t?”

“Do you know something, Your Majesty?”

*”How utterly vile.

“No doubt, it intends to reassemble her corpse, using it as a vessel.

“If so, it might be a way to mislead the Seeker’s detection.

“By using a dead Puppet, the scent of the demon would be weakened…”*

“Send word to Meldor immediately. We need to share this information at once.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

The knights rushed out, their armor clanking as they hurried to deliver orders.

“What does this mean?”

*”It is the same as in the past—when the Abyssal Demon was first sealed.

“The Dancer lured it in.

“The Puppet and Seeker found it.

“The Warrior, Mage, and Guardian fought it.

“And finally, the Sage sealed it away.

“We need all of them again.

“But the demon is trying to prevent that from happening.”*

“Why would it target Riofendarl’s daughter?”

*”She is the Puppet.

“That power runs in her bl00d.

“It could be trying to mask itself from the Seeker.

“Or worse—if the Dancer cannot lure it in, the cycle will be broken.

“If that happens…

“We will lose our chance again.”*

“No… Then what can we do?”

*”Send word to Lax.

“We can no longer afford to be cautious of the demon’s gaze.

“We may not be just one step away, but we are two—perhaps three—steps from the end.

“We must strike now.

“If we fail, then this fight will be left to future generations…

“And that will mean more sacrifices.”*