Episode 358
“The head of the High Table wants to see me?”
Zeke was taken aback by the sudden proposal from the Hermit.
Sensing his surprise, the Hermit waved a hand dismissively.
“Oh, it’s nothing too serious. They just want to hear about what’s happening in the current world. It seems like the appearance of monsters and mutated beasts might be linked to the Siemens family.”
Zeke nodded in agreement.
“To be precise, it’s the work of Siemens and the Abyss.”
The mention of the Abyss made the Hermit grimace.
“The Abyss has been a thorn in our side for centuries, but now they’re teaming up with Siemens to cause even more chaos.”
Zeke proceeded to explain everything he had discovered to the Hermit. From the Abyss using artificial bloodstones to summon high-ranking demons to the current world, to reviving dormant demons, and twisting karma with the power of the constellations to summon monsters.
The Hermit listened, mouth agape.
“This is… absolutely insane.”
Clearly, the Hermit hadn’t anticipated the situation being this dire.
Zeke nodded solemnly.
“Emperor Rom has become the avatar of a fallen constellation, transforming into a monstrous form. It was the constellation known as the Black Serpent in the Mouth, and it used its power to twist karma, exerting significant influence on the current world.”
The Hermit’s eyes widened.
“Wait, who did you say?”
“Uh, Emperor Rom…”
“No, I mean the constellation!”
“The Black Serpent in the Mouth.”
The Hermit, flustered, questioned Zeke further.
“You faced that thing directly? I mean, you confronted the emperor who became its avatar? How are you still alive?”
“Because I killed it.”
The Hermit jumped in shock.
“K-killed it? How?”
“With this.”
Zeke retrieved a holy spear from his inventory. The Hermit was left speechless.
Quickly, the Hermit summoned a book into the air, flipping through it with a wet finger, searching for something.
“Is that… a holy spear?”
“Yes, even though its appearance has changed, you recognized it.”
“Of course, I’ve been a Hermit for quite some time. But how did you find it?”
“I found it at the ruins of the first Holy King, Geo Luvern.”
Zeke kept his explanation brief, focusing on the essentials.
The Hermit, sweating, asked Zeke,
“So you found the first Holy King’s spear and used it to kill the Black Serpent’s avatar?”
“Yes, and I also sealed it.”
“What?”
The Hermit, too overwhelmed to be surprised anymore, responded with a sense of disbelief.
Zeke showed the Hermit Solomon’s ring. Upon seeing the seal of the Black Serpent, Belial, the Hermit collapsed, legs giving way.
“You actually sealed a fallen constellation…?”
Zeke clicked his tongue at the sight of the Hermit.
“Did you think I was lying?”
“I thought you might have dealt with the avatar somehow, but I never imagined you’d seal the constellation’s essence itself. And the Black Serpent, no less. It’s one of the demon lords.”
“It did seem to use its powers more than other constellations. It was so obsessed with the holy spear that it fell into its own trap trying to take it.”
The Hermit nodded, understanding.
“It’s probably because of karma.”
“Karma? Does having this allow one to evade karma’s restrictions?”
The Hermit nodded, confirming Zeke’s suspicion, which left Zeke surprised.
With a wave of the Hermit’s hand, translucent shapes floated in the air—swords, vessels, goblets, and statues, all appearing as extraordinary ancient artifacts.
“What are these…?”
“Relics. They’re of a lower grade than your holy spear or the Fairy King’s relics, but they also contain the power of the constellations.”
“Are you saying the Abyss is using these relics to bypass karma’s restrictions?”
“The power of the constellations within the relics contains karma. They’ve figured out how to use that power to evade restrictions. The stronger the relic, the more potent the karma it holds, making your holy spear and the Fairy King’s relics highly coveted.”
The Hermit gestured to the other relics floating in the air.
“All these relics have disappeared.”
Zeke’s expression hardened at this revelation.
“Are you saying the Abyss and Siemens have stolen these relics?”
The Hermit nodded.
“Yes, and that’s why the High Table has been convened.”
With another wave of the Hermit’s hand, new scenes appeared—forests, mountains, rivers, and seas. Among them, Zeke recognized a place.
“Isn’t that the Forest of the Forgotten?”
“Yes, along with other forbidden zones. But…”
The scene shifted, showing gates opening and demonic monsters emerging from the sealed areas.
Zeke frowned at the sight.
“It’s the same method used to extract the orc army from the Forest of the Forgotten.”
“These events are happening all over the continent.”
Zeke turned to the Hermit, asking,
“How is this possible? They should be subject to karma’s restrictions…”
Suddenly, Zeke’s eyes widened in realization.
“They’re using the relics’ power to block karma’s restrictions.”
The Hermit nodded.
“Exactly. I found it strange too, so I investigated and discovered that relics stored in various kingdoms had vanished. The Highlanders now suspect that they’ve found a way to use the relics to bypass karma’s restrictions.”
Zeke’s expression grew grave.
Though they had stopped the orc army that attacked the Holy Kingdom, more monster armies were appearing in the current world.
“Where are these monsters now?”
The Hermit waved a hand again, revealing a scene of a fierce snowstorm.
Zeke recognized the location immediately.
“The Ice Mountains, and… Himonas.”
Himonas was located at the northernmost tip of the northern continent, surrounded by the Ice Mountains. The monster army’s only path was to advance toward Himonas.
Zeke clenched his teeth.
“Himonas, where Alicia is, won’t fall easily. But if the monster army keeps coming, even Himonas’s high walls will have their limits.”
He wanted to rush to the northern continent to stop the monster army immediately. But Zeke was in a difficult position to act rashly.
If Arthur Draker’s plan to appoint Zeke as a guardian knight succeeded, it would undoubtedly cause a stir within the Draker family.
Zeke had to resolve the internal matters of the Draker family before he could head to the northern continent.
The Hermit, observing Zeke’s troubled expression, spoke.
“You seem restless, as if you have a personal connection to the northern continent.”
The Hermit had seen through Zeke’s heart.
Zeke shook his head in response.
“It’s not that. What is the Highlanders’ plan?”
“Our structure isn’t suited for dealing with such armies. We’re a small group, dispatched to problem areas as needed. That’s why the head wants to meet you—to discuss possible cooperation.”
Having been a Highlander in a past life, Zeke understood the Hermit’s words immediately.
Highlanders typically received orders, went to the designated area to complete their mission, and returned to their original location to await the next assignment.
Zeke had also stayed in the Forest of the Forgotten, only venturing out to eliminate designated beasts when necessary.
The beasts and monsters he faced were usually small groups or clusters, not armies like now.
Zeke addressed the Hermit.
“I’ll meet the head. Tell me where and when.”
The Hermit nodded.
“The head is in a unique situation, so meeting isn’t easy. I’ll contact you when we’re ready.”
“Understood.”
“You still have the hand mirror I gave you, right?”
In truth, Zeke had forgotten about the hand mirror, having left it in his inventory. The Hermit clicked his tongue at Zeke’s sheepish expression.
“Keep it with you at all times. That way, you’ll know when I signal you.”
“Understood.”
The Hermit stood and approached Zeke.
“The continent is growing more chaotic. You might be the one to quell that chaos, Zeke.”
“Me?”
“Yes, the owner of the relics and the holy spear. Fate seems to be guiding you as a savior.”
Zeke had no desire for such a burdensome role. All he wanted was freedom.
“I don’t know how it came to this… but to be free, I suppose I have to deal with them.”
The Hermit placed a hand on Zeke’s shoulder.
“Be careful. If they realize you have the destiny of a savior, they’ll target you more aggressively.”
Simultaneously, the Hermit placed a hand on Zeke’s forehead.
“May the fortune of the story be with you.”
When Zeke opened his eyes, he found himself back in the carriage.
“I must have dozed off for a moment.”
Zeke reflected on the stories the Hermit had shared with him.
Ziemens and Narak had stolen the sacred relics and unleashed a horde of demonic monsters, previously sealed in the forbidden zone, into the mortal realm. Now, that horde was making its way over the Ice Mountains, heading straight for Himonas.
“But why are the monsters heading to Himonas?” Zeke wondered.
The Holy Kingdom and the Joins’ ghetto likely aimed to conquer that territory and use it as a forward base for the continental war. Yet, Himonas held no strategic value.
The land was vast but perpetually cold, and most of it was barren.
Zeke doubted that Ziemens had sent the monster horde to pressure Himonas.
“Then there must be something in Himonas they need,” he mused.
As he pondered, a thought struck him.
“What if there’s something in Himonas that could resurrect the Demon King?”
He recalled the words of the Holy King: to resurrect the Demon King, they needed a vessel for the soul and the Book of the Dead, which held the sealed soul.
The Book of the Dead was sealed beyond the Dark Continent, and the vessel, Abel, had died by Zeke’s hand.
Perhaps Himonas hid something that fulfilled one of these conditions.
“All of this is orchestrated by Ramon Ziemens, the head of the Ziemens family. Does Arthur Draker know about Ramon’s schemes?”
Arthur Draker was a man of many secrets, making it impossible to discern his thoughts.
Zeke decided to tackle the issues one by one.
“First, let’s deal with the Draker situation. How Kali responds is crucial.”
Kali was the longest-standing direct bloodline candidate for succession. She had maintained a good relationship with Zeke as an ally, but if they became direct competitors, the dynamics could change unpredictably.
Zeke even considered the possibility of Kali turning against him.
“If it comes to that, Kali will never back down. It might end in bloodshed.”
Lost in these thoughts, Zeke found himself arriving at the Atlas estate.
After a long absence, he stepped out of the carriage and stretched. Someone was already waiting for him at the estate.
It was none other than Luther Zemben.
“Sir Luther. It’s been a while,” Zeke greeted him.
Luther bowed his head in acknowledgment. “Sir Zeke, I came as soon as I heard you were in Atlas. I hope my sudden visit isn’t an inconvenience.”
“Not at all. I was wondering how you’ve been. Please, come inside.”
But then Luther’s expression turned grave as he looked at Zeke.
“Sir Zeke, there’s something I must tell you.”
Surprised by Luther’s sudden seriousness, Zeke nodded for him to continue.
“The Sultan’s envoy wishes to meet with you.”