Episode 359
“The Sultan’s envoy?”
Zeke’s mind raced at Luther’s words, piecing together the puzzle.
Could it be that a monster horde had appeared on the Eastern Continent as well? It wasn’t a stretch to think that the demonic monsters might not limit themselves to the Central Continent alone. The Eastern Continent, though different, was also known to harbor monsters and beasts. Zeke recalled his former mentor, Nigel, mentioning that the beasts of the Eastern Continent were stronger and more intelligent than those of the Central Continent, making them harder to defeat.
With a calm demeanor, Zeke asked Luther, “Why does the Sultan’s envoy wish to see me?”
Luther hesitated for a moment before speaking slowly. “It seems the Sultan has heard rumors of you receiving the Fairy King’s blessing and gaining the power of salvation.”
Though Zeke had suspected as much, the suddenness of it all left him pondering. Luther, looking slightly awkward, added, “If it’s not too much trouble, would you be willing to meet with the Sultan’s envoy?”
Zeke, recalling something, asked, “But as I remember, you became a knight of Draker after being pursued by the Sultan’s warriors. How did the Sultan’s envoy come to find you?”
Luther, looking a bit sheepish, replied, “The envoy promised to lift the death warrant on me if I arranged a meeting with you.”
Zeke was taken aback. “Lifting the death warrant? Then you could return home, couldn’t you?”
Luther shook his head. “No, I’m a knight of Draker now. Besides, who knows when the Sultan might change his mind again? I feel more at ease here in the Central Continent.”
Zeke nodded, seeing the sense in Luther’s words. “I see. Meeting the Sultan’s envoy might not be a bad idea.”
Luther’s face lit up. “Then, may I bring the envoy here?”
“Yes, please do.”
Luther hurried off, promising to fetch the envoy from his residence. Meanwhile, Zeke returned to his mansion to rest and await their arrival.
About an hour later, Luther and the Sultan’s envoy entered Zeke’s study. Zeke was startled by the sight of the envoy.
“An elf?”
It was the first time Zeke had seen an elf outside the Ishtar family. The elves of the Eastern Continent had grayish skin and violet eyes, unlike the high elf Yellin. Their ethereal beauty and androgynous aura made it difficult to discern their gender, much like the elves of Ishtar.
The elf, representing the Sultan, bowed gracefully to Zeke. “Greetings to the Knight of Salvation. I am Omar, heir of the Hidayet family, sent by the great Sultan to meet you.”
Omar spoke the common language fluently. Zeke returned the greeting with equal courtesy. “Thank you for coming such a long way. Please, have a seat.”
He guided Omar and Luther to their seats and served them tea. Omar, savoring the aroma, expressed surprise. “This is an excellent tea. It reminds me of the tea gifted by the Sultan.”
The tea was a gift from Ishtar, knowing Zeke’s fondness for it. The mention of the Sultan having similar tea piqued Zeke’s curiosity. Could the Sultan be an elf too? No one in the Central Continent had seen the Sultan, so his identity remained a mystery. The long-standing enmity between the two continents had severed most ties, leaving only a few clandestine exchanges.
As Zeke pondered the Sultan and the Eastern Continent, he realized something. “Is this how others see Draker?”
The Ishtar and druid factions had similar views of Draker. With a small smile, Zeke addressed Omar. “It seems the Sultan has a keen interest in tea.”
Omar nodded. “The palace has a tradition of cultivating and enjoying fine tea. Although coffee is popular among young nobles, it can’t match the depth of tea.”
Zeke agreed. “Coffee always tasted bitter to me.”
Typically, coffee was brewed with ground beans and sweetened with honey, but Zeke found it unappealing. As Omar set down his cup, he spoke to Zeke.
“I’ve come with a request for you, Sir Zeke Draker.”
Zeke set his cup down, curious about the Sultan’s secretive message. Omar began, “I’ve heard you received the Fairy King’s blessing and awakened the divine beast, the Phoenix.”
Zeke nodded. “Yes, I was blessed by the Fairy King at the Fairy Lake.”
Though he hadn’t met the Fairy King directly, the blessing was real, so he acknowledged it. Omar’s eyes flickered with emotion.
“May I have the honor of meeting the Phoenix?”
Zeke hesitated, then turned to his shoulder. “Raven.”
At his call, the Phoenix, dozing in the dimensional boundary, appeared. With a soft coo, Raven spread its wings and nudged Zeke with its beak, as if asking why it had been disturbed.
Omar, witnessing the Phoenix, dropped to his knees in awe. “The Phoenix…! The divine beast has truly descended to the mortal realm!”
Omar began to pray, watching Raven peck at the snacks on the table. Zeke, observing Omar, quietly asked Luther, “Why is he doing that?”
“In the Murk Empire, the Phoenix is revered as a sacred being. While there are many mythical creatures in the Eastern Continent, the Phoenix is exceptionally rare and auspicious. Its presence alone elevates the Sultan’s authority.”
Zeke listened, glancing at Raven, who was now much larger, resembling a beautiful hawk. Despite its growth, Zeke still found others’ reverence for the Phoenix puzzling.
After finishing his prayer, Omar looked at Zeke with newfound respect. “Sir Zeke, the Sultan wishes to invite you and the Phoenix to the palace.”
“The Sultan invited me?”
Zeke was surprised. Since the Eastern Empire’s invasion of the Central Continent, relations had been severed. Though some trade occurred through the Republic of Dortha, it wasn’t official. The Sultan’s direct invitation was unexpected and could signal renewed ties between the continents.
Zeke addressed Omar. “The Sultan seems very interested in the Phoenix.”
Omar nodded earnestly. “Wise and mystical creatures possess profound power. The Sultan wishes to hear your story of the Fairy King’s blessing and experience the divine beast’s presence.”
In the Central Continent, the Phoenix was seen as a mystical creature, but in the Murk Empire, it held unique significance. Zeke asked Omar, “If I accept the Sultan’s invitation, how would I travel to the Eastern Continent? Crossing the Central Sea by ship would take a long time.”
Omar shook his head. “There’s no need for a ship. A portal to the palace is set up in the Republic of Dortha, allowing for quick travel.”
“A direct portal to the Eastern Continent?”
Zeke was astonished. He hadn’t known such a portal existed in the Republic of Dortha. Omar confirmed it, and after some thought, Zeke nodded.
“Very well. I accept the Sultan’s invitation.”
Omar’s face brightened. If Zeke had refused, Omar would have been in a difficult position. Zeke asked, “When should I visit the palace?”
Omar smiled. “The Sultan will welcome you with a grand feast and the finest delicacies whenever you choose to come. Just let me inform the palace beforehand, and you can visit anytime this year.”
Zeke was surprised by the flexibility. In the Central Continent, timing was crucial for such invitations, but the Eastern Empire seemed to have a different sense of time.
“Anytime this year, you say? That gives me some leeway.”
Zeke had always been fascinated by the Eastern Continent. This was his chance to see the Murk Empire and the wider world with his own eyes.
“I bet Yelin and Hades would love to come along. I should ask them,” he mused.
As Zeke chatted with Omar, asking about the Murk Empire, someone unexpectedly entered the room. It was Boris, who had been left behind to wrap up affairs in the Holy Kingdom. His presence here suggested something urgent.
With a serious expression, Boris approached Zeke and whispered, “Boss, we have an emergency.”
Excusing himself, Zeke left the parlor and headed to his office with Boris in tow.
Boris wasted no time. “There’s been a civil war in the Empire.”
Zeke nodded, having anticipated such a move. With the Emperor dead at the Holy King’s tomb, it was only a matter of time before the cunning Julius made his move.
“This was within expectations. Has Julius put forward another royal?”
Boris shook his head, his expression grim. “A new figure has seized control of Rom and executed all the other royals.”
Zeke frowned. “Executed the other royals?”
It wasn’t uncommon for a coup to eliminate potential threats among the royal family. But what caught Zeke’s attention was the mention of a new player.
“Who is this new figure?”
Boris replied, “Abel Draker, who was presumed missing, has resurfaced.”
Zeke’s face hardened. “Abel is alive?”
He distinctly remembered killing Abel himself, severing his head and using the power of decay on the corpse. The idea that Abel could be alive was inconceivable.
“Are you sure it’s Abel? Not an imposter or some magic trick?”
Boris nodded. “We’ve gathered information from multiple sources. Even the Black Stage has confirmed it.”
If the Black Stage had verified Abel’s identity, Zeke had no choice but to accept it. His expression grew even more severe.
“He couldn’t have come back on his own. Ramon Jimenez must be behind this.”
Just then, Boris spoke again. “Boss, this isn’t the emergency I came to report.”
“There’s something more urgent than this?”
Boris, his face still tense, looked directly at Zeke. “Julius, the Empire’s regent, has requested a meeting with you.”