Episode 355
The atmosphere in the family head’s office grew tense following Zeke’s unexpected statement.
Howard wiped the sweat from his brow, glancing nervously at Arthur Draker, while Baron remained silent and still.
Arthur set down the cake plate he was holding, his interest piqued as he looked at Zeke.
“Refusing the title of Guardian Knight, are you? I’d like to hear your reasons.”
Though his voice was gentle, the room’s atmosphere had noticeably stiffened.
Zeke took a deep breath before speaking.
“I believe accepting the title of Guardian Knight would throw the entire family into chaos.”
Arthur stroked his beard thoughtfully at Zeke’s words.
“Chaos in the family, you say. What do you mean by that?”
Arthur surely understood Zeke’s intentions but wanted to hear Zeke’s own predictions for the future.
“If I accept the title, it will only accelerate the rivalry for succession with Sir Kali Draker.”
With Abel missing, Kali was currently the sole candidate for succession. However, bypassing the usual procedures to bestow the title upon Zeke would inevitably be seen as a direct challenge to Kali.
Zeke’s growing reputation across the continent, combined with the support of the Agamemnon family and the title of Guardian Knight, would grant him power surpassing even Abel’s.
Arthur chuckled at Zeke’s explanation.
“So, you value the stability of the family over becoming a Guardian Knight?”
“I am a Draker. Without the family, I am nothing.”
Zeke’s response was exemplary, as always, in front of Arthur.
Arthur slowly rose from his seat.
“Zeke. There’s something I want to show you.”
Leaving Howard and Baron behind, Arthur led Zeke to another room within the office, connected to a personal storage room where Laura Agamemnon’s watch had been kept.
This time, Arthur took Zeke deeper into the storage room, stopping in front of a crystal orb embedded in the wall. He removed his gloves and placed his hand on it.
The orb glowed, activating a portal.
Whoosh!
In an instant, the room’s scenery changed.
‘What is this?’
A security portal, reminiscent of ancient ruins, had been installed in the personal storage room.
As Zeke looked around, he found himself in a cavernous space, far removed from the storage room’s familiar surroundings.
Arthur spoke to Zeke.
“You’re the first of my children to see this place.”
Zeke was taken aback by Arthur’s words. It meant that not even Kali or Abel, long considered candidates for succession, had been shown this secret space. He hadn’t expected Arthur to reveal such a hidden place to him first.
Arthur gestured for Zeke to follow.
“Come with me.”
Zeke followed Arthur down a corridor connected to the cavern.
After a long walk, they arrived at a large door, marked with a familiar emblem.
‘Is that…?’
A simple design featuring a single sword, the same emblem engraved on the ring of the Draker family, known for their absolute swordsmanship.
As Arthur reached out, the door slowly began to open.
“Let’s go in.”
Zeke followed Arthur through the door.
Rumble—
The heavily guarded entrance to the Siemens family’s secret stronghold, the “Labyrinth,” opened.
As the door, adorned with two intertwined snakes, rose, Ramon Siemens, the head of the family, stepped inside.
Growl—
Screech—
Clang!
Horrific sounds echoed from within.
This was the most secure area of the Labyrinth, where the Siemens family stored their most important experimental subjects.
Ramon, accompanied by the family’s mages, made his way past the containment area to the innermost chamber.
Black knights, clad in full armor, stood guard at the entrance.
They only relaxed their stance and stepped aside when Ramon approached.
Inside, mages of the Abyss were busily at work.
Buckets filled with the remains of experimental subjects were scattered about, and the floor was slick with fluids and blood.
Ramon frowned at the sight.
One of the Abyss mages approached him.
“Welcome, Master.”
Ramon addressed him.
“Where is the priest?”
“Please wait a moment. The ritual is nearly complete.”
Ramon frowned again at the mage’s words.
As he attempted to push past, other Abyss mages rushed to block his path.
The first mage called out to Ramon.
“Master! You mustn’t! The ritual is at a critical stage. Entering now could cause it to fail!”
Ramon ignored the warning.
He raised his hand, and with a flick of his wrist, the mages were thrown aside by an invisible force.
Leading his mages, Ramon advanced into the chamber.
The Abyss mages tried to stop them, but the oppressive force held them in place.
“Ugh!”
Ramon reached for the door blocking his path.
Crack—
The solid metal door crumpled like paper under Ramon’s power.
Thud!
The crumpled door was flung aside by Ramon’s gesture.
He entered the chamber slowly.
The air was thick with the stench of blood.
Two apostles approached Ramon.
Higher in rank and power than the ordinary dark mages of the Abyss, the apostles blocked his path.
“The ritual is still ongoing. You cannot proceed further.”
Ramon frowned at their words.
“You underestimate me.”
As Ramon lightly stomped his foot, a massive magic circle appeared on the floor.
Sensing the powerful energy emanating from the circle, the apostles hesitated and stepped back.
But they couldn’t afford to retreat, and as they prepared to unleash their power, they found themselves unable to do so.
“How… how is this possible…?”
With the magic circle in place, the area had become Ramon’s domain.
Ramon addressed the bewildered apostles.
“Step aside.”
Caught in a dilemma, the apostles couldn’t move aside, nor could they resist.
At that moment, a voice echoed from within.
『Let the master through.』
With the priest’s command, the apostles finally bowed and stepped aside.
Ramon, scowling, entered the chamber.
The priest, hooded, awaited him.
『Ramon Siemens, I didn’t expect you to cause such a commotion.』
Ramon glared at the priest.
“I’ve been trying to contact you, but you ignored me. What did you expect?”
The Abyss and Siemens were in a symbiotic relationship.
Siemens provided resources and manpower, while the Abyss offered technology to create a stronger army.
Normally, Ramon wouldn’t have been so angry at the lack of communication from the Abyss.
But the situation was different when it came to Abel’s resurrection.
Ramon Siemens had recently learned that the emperor, who had personally led an expedition to the ruins of the Holy King, had died there, and that the knights and soldiers had all surrendered to Zeke Draker.
The emperor’s erratic behavior, driven by the black serpent within him, was nothing new, so Ramon had sent an orc unit to the Holy Kingdom without much thought.
He had supported the emperor’s request, believing that the longer the emperor remained in power, the easier it would be to manipulate the empire and counter Julius.
But the unexpected death of the emperor at the ruins had changed everything.
Moreover, the second prince, whom Julius intended to enthrone, was now a prisoner of Zeke’s faction, complicating matters further.
Ramon had planned to use Abel, who had royal blood, to his advantage during the empire’s turmoil, so he needed to know the status of the ritual to manage the situation. The priest’s silence had only heightened his anxiety.
The priest smirked at Ramon’s distress.
『Your once-confident face is now twisted with worry. How amusing. Ramon Siemens, you’re just a mortal, unable to transcend human limitations.』
Ignoring the priest’s taunts, Ramon stepped forward.
“I didn’t come here to listen to your nonsense. What’s the status of the ritual?”
The priest silently gestured toward the altar.
Ramon turned to look and slowly approached it.
Ascending the steps, he saw Abel bound to the stone platform.
His hands, feet, and even his neck were shackled with chains that seemed anything but ordinary.
Ramon’s expression changed as he observed Abel, who lay with his eyes closed.
‘He’s returned to his human form.’
Previously, Abel had appeared as a dragonkin, but now he had reverted to his original human appearance.
Ramon reached out and grasped Abel’s wrist.
His body was still rigid, with no blood flowing through it.
Ramon’s expression hardened.
He turned to the priest, who had appeared on the altar, and asked.
“What happened? Did the ritual fail?”
The priest replied, looking at Ramon.
『I told you it was impossible to resurrect Abel.』
Ramon glared at him.
“Are you playing games with me again? I won’t tolerate this any longer…”
Snap!
Suddenly, Abel, who had been lying motionless, opened his eyes and grabbed Ramon’s wrist.
Crack!
A sickening crack echoed as Abel twisted Ramon’s wrist.
Even with his wrist broken, Ramon remained unfazed, turning his head to look down at Abel, whose eyes had transformed into those of a dragon, half his face reverting to its draconic form.
A low growl rumbled from Abel.
Ramon, his wrist still caught in Abel’s grip, addressed the priest. “Has he become a mindless beast?”
“As I mentioned before, with his soul gone, fully reviving Abel is impossible. This is more like a homunculus wearing Abel’s face,” the priest replied.
Suddenly, Abel lunged, trying to sink his teeth into Ramon’s neck. The priest swiftly extended his hand, and the chains binding Abel’s limbs and neck glowed red-hot.
A sizzling sound filled the air, followed by Abel’s agonized scream as the chains seared his flesh.
With a clatter, the chains tightened, forcing Abel back onto the stone platform, his limbs restrained once more.
Abel glared at the priest, growling.
Ramon glanced at his broken wrist, placing his other hand over it. With a gentle motion, the wrist healed, returning to its original state.
Looking down at the mindless Abel, Ramon spoke to the priest. “You must realize Abel can’t be put on stage like this. Surely you don’t consider this a successful ritual.”
The priest nodded, reaching into his pocket to retrieve something. He uncapped a long-necked vial, releasing a foul stench.
Bringing the vial’s opening to Abel’s ear, the priest allowed something to slither out and wriggle inside.
Ramon watched the grotesque scene with a calm demeanor.
Once the creature from the vial had fully entered Abel’s ear, the priest sealed the vial and tucked it away.
Abel’s body convulsed violently.
“Ugh!”
He writhed in agony, his screams suggesting he was on the brink of death. But soon, instead of screams, words began to spill from his mouth.
“What I, forward that, situation Draker show, death inevitable want, yes, command…!”
Incoherent words tumbled out, leaving their meaning a mystery.
The priest turned to Ramon. “In the demon realm, unlike our world, there are many strange creatures. Some absorb their host’s memories and mimic them.”
The creature in Abel’s mind was attempting to read his memories and imitate his usual self.
Amidst the gibberish, a clear sentence suddenly emerged from Abel’s lips.
“My name is Abel Draker. I am the Black Knight of the Draker family.”