Episode 38
Carly’s words caught Zeke completely off guard.
“What do you mean by stopping Abel Draker, sister?”
Carly glanced around before speaking to Zeke.
“Follow me.”
She led him to her private carriage, a luxurious vehicle reserved for the guardians of the Four Seasons Castle, equipped with every conceivable comfort.
Having changed out of her silver armor into casual attire, Carly brewed tea and offered it to Zeke.
“I heard you like tea. This one’s imported from the Eastern Continent. I hope it suits your taste.”
Zeke wondered just how far his fondness for tea had spread within the family.
Carly began to speak slowly, her gaze fixed on Zeke.
“Abel’s knights are currently under contract with the Empire, carrying out the Emperor’s orders.”
“You mean Emperor Rom’s orders?”
“Yes. In fact, the Rom Empire is one of Draker’s major clients. So, in a way, Abel’s actions aren’t entirely unjustified.”
Carly set her teacup down and continued.
“The problem is that Abel is overstepping his bounds. He’s actively involving himself in the conflict between the Rom Empire and Alencia, which shares a border with the Empire.”
“Direct involvement in a conflict? That goes against our family’s primary tenet of neutrality, doesn’t it?”
“Exactly. The Draker family is supposed to exist as a family, not a nation, and should not interfere in disputes between other countries. Abel and Siemens have long crossed that line.”
“It’s hard to believe. Are you saying the Four Seasons Castle and the head of the family are just letting this happen?”
Carly’s expression turned solemn.
“Zeke, what I’m about to tell you is a family secret. You must not speak of it elsewhere.”
“Of course, sister.”
“The Four Seasons Castle is currently divided.”
In his past life, Zeke had never visited the Four Seasons Castle, so he was unaware of its internal affairs. He only knew the general flow of events he had witnessed in the future.
Carly continued, her voice steady.
“Imperial sympathizers have emerged within the Council of Elders.”
Zeke immediately grasped the implications of Carly’s words.
“The Empire has managed to sway the elders?”
“While the exact means are unclear, that’s the situation as it stands.”
“I can’t understand it. Even the Empire shouldn’t have anything tempting enough to lure the elders of the Draker family.”
“I’m also investigating what the Emperor might have done.”
“So, there are people within the Council of Elders and the guardians who have sided with the Empire. On the surface, it’s just Abel and Siemens, but we don’t know how many more there are or who else might be aligned with the Empire, making it difficult to act.”
Carly was impressed by how quickly Zeke grasped the complex situation within the Four Seasons Castle.
‘He’s not just talented in combat.’
Carly nodded in agreement.
“Exactly. That’s why I’m gathering trustworthy individuals within the Four Seasons Castle to counter Abel and Siemens.”
“You’re forming an alliance?”
“Yes. I’m rallying the strength of the ordinary knights, who are the backbone of the Four Seasons Castle, rather than relying on the Council of Elders or the main family.”
The Four Seasons Castle is the central hub managing thousands of knights carrying out missions across the continent. While Abel manipulates the Council of Elders, Carly is taking a different approach. No matter how powerful the head of the family or the Council of Elders might be, the family cannot function without the ordinary knights.
She looked at Zeke and said, “Once you graduate from Valhalla and become an official knight of the Four Seasons Castle, you’ll have significant influence and legitimacy as a pureblood awakener. Pureblood awakeners hold great significance in the Draker family.”
Carly’s maternal family, the Prana family, was not as influential as the powerful Siemens or Turn families, putting her at a disadvantage in the current power struggle. However, if Zeke, a pureblood awakener and direct descendant, supported Carly, the balance of power could subtly shift in her favor.
The Four Seasons Castle is, after all, made up of people. If public opinion swayed towards Carly, even Abel, who controlled the Council of Elders, would find it difficult to act freely.
Zeke pondered how he could leverage the chaotic situation within the Four Seasons Castle to his advantage.
‘In seven years, the balance among the three great transcendent families will break, plunging the continent into war. And at the center of it all is Abel Draker.’
Zeke looked at his elder sister, Carly Draker. In his past life, this noble knight in silver would die five years later, facing a newly risen pirate king in the Southern Sea. Carly Draker’s death, who had been the stabilizing force of the Four Seasons Castle, would send shockwaves through the entire Draker family. She was implicitly considered the heir to the family head, and with her death, Abel Draker would take her place. He would then ally with the Council of Elders, abolish the family’s neutrality pledge, and, backed by the Empire, plunge into the continental war. The family head, Arthur Draker, would tacitly allow Abel’s actions before succumbing to illness. Eventually, Abel Draker would succeed as the family head, leading the Draker family to invade the Central Kingdom and the Northern Continent, abandoning their role as the balancer of the Central Continent and becoming the Empire’s pawn in the invasion.
At that time, Zeke had settled in the Northern Continent for various reasons and was caught up in the sudden continental war. Having witnessed this chaotic future firsthand, Zeke knew Carly’s concerns were not unfounded. Rather than exploiting the current situation, he decided it was better to help Carly stop Abel, the butcher knight.
“I’m not much yet, but I’ll help in any way I can.”
Carly’s eyes wavered at his words. She hadn’t expected Zeke to make a decision so quickly.
She looked at him and said, “I proposed this because I believe the future Zeke Draker will become an exceptional knight. If you support me, this silver knight will always stand by your side.”
Zeke thought she was surprisingly pure for a Draker. She valued rules above all, yet her heart was tender.
He stood up. “I fully agree with your plan to rally the ordinary knights. I’ll become an official knight of the Four Seasons Castle and support you.”
Carly also stood and nodded. “Thank you, Zeke. If you need anything, just let me know. And remember, while the Drakers may seem elusive, they’re everywhere. Always be aware that Abel and the Empire’s eyes are on you.”
“I understand, sister.”
After bidding farewell to Carly, Zeke left the carriage. As he walked alone through Valhalla’s campus, he contemplated the benefits of his alliance with Carly Draker.
‘It’s a million times better than having a madman like Abel lead the family. And considering the continental situation…’
Zeke’s ultimate goal was to become the strongest on the continent and take over the Draker family. However, he had no desire to inherit a weakened, fragmented family that had become a puppet of the Empire. He resolved to assist Carly Draker in thwarting Abel Draker and the Rom Empire’s schemes, as he had decided in the carriage.
“To do that, I need power.”
Zeke activated his minimap and examined Valhalla’s layout. The map indicated the location of the secure archive left by the founder, Terracan Draker. It was none other than Valhalla’s library.
Zeke presented his student ID and entered the library. In truth, he didn’t need to enroll at Valhalla just to enter the place. However, the secure archive left by Terracan Draker was located in Valhalla’s library, specifically in the exclusive library accessible only to Valhalla students. This exclusive library was a secure area, off-limits to outsiders, including Zeke, despite being a pureblood awakener of the Draker family.
At the entrance of the exclusive library, Zeke presented his student ID again and underwent iris recognition before being allowed inside.
“Hmm.”
While the academy’s library was sizable, it paled in comparison to Valhalla’s. Located in Atlas, the greatest city of the Central Continent, Valhalla attracted people from all over the world. Consequently, rare materials flowed into the city. From precious books of the Eastern Continent to poetry collections of the Southern Continent and mythological tales of the Northern Continent, Valhalla’s library housed every conceivable book.
Following the minimap, Zeke headed towards the secure archive left by Terracan Draker. He soon arrived at the marked location.
“This is it?”
He found himself not in a book-filled archive but in a storage room for unused items. Zeke surveyed the dusty storage room. There was no sign of the secure archive left by Terracan Draker.
‘Is there a separate entrance like at the academy?’
He attempted to use his Dragon Eye skill to locate an entrance, but nothing was detected. Expanding his search, Zeke explored various parts of the storage room, yet found nothing.
Then, as he stood in the center of the storage room, a notification appeared.
[Detected a data update point.]
[Connected to Terracan Draker’s secure archive.]
[Would you like to update the data?]
Zeke chose to update the data.
[Updating data.]
Soon, a message appeared indicating the data update was complete. Zeke immediately accessed the secure archive.
—Terrakan Draker’s Secure Archive—
Organization Operations Manual
Dragon Slaying Techniques Manual Ver. 5.21 (Final)
Reference Materials
Collection of Growth-Enhancing Proverbs
“What is this?”
Despite being labeled a secure archive, it felt more like a personal collection of Terrakan Draker’s records.
It wasn’t what he expected, but since he had come all this way, Zeke decided to take a closer look. The first thing that caught his eye was the section on dragon slaying techniques.
Zeke clicked on the Dragon Slaying Techniques Manual.
0920_Dragon Slaying Techniques_ Final
1012_Dragon Slaying Techniques_ Really Final
1112_Dragon Slaying Techniques_ Absolutely Final
There were dozens of documents labeled as “final” versions.
After skimming through the manuals, Zeke finally opened the most recent one.
He had anticipated finding some hidden secrets, but instead, it was a detailed compilation of basic dragon slaying forms.
Zeke was astonished to learn that the foundational guide to dragon slaying, still in use today, was crafted by none other than Terrakan Draker himself.
The manual was a comprehensive guide on how to train in basic dragon slaying techniques, highlighting which aspects to emphasize.
As Zeke browsed through the various versions, he stumbled upon a note left by Terrakan Draker at the end of the manual.
[This Dragon Slaying Techniques Manual is a revised version of some of the initial forms from the True Dragon Sword Technique.]
“True Dragon Sword Technique? Is there such a swordsmanship?”
Zeke continued reading Terrakan Draker’s notes.
[The True Dragon Sword Technique is indeed an excellent form of swordsmanship and aura cultivation, but it is notoriously difficult to master and comprehend, making it challenging for all knights to learn.
The creator of the True Dragon Sword Technique and the first to develop aura cultivation, Shaton Draker, was the only human to reach the level of a Grand Master.
I believe it is essential to create a new form of swordsmanship that anyone can learn, building on the legacy of Shaton Draker, who was honored with the title of Sword Saint. I am determined to complete this long-delayed task.]
Zeke was taken aback by Terrakan Draker’s words.
“Shaton Draker? The secret manual left by the Noble Knight?”
The successor of the Hero King and the first knight to develop aura.
Zeke closed the manual and meticulously searched through the secure archive’s list. He eventually found the True Dragon Sword Technique stored among the reference materials.
Zeke opened the secret manual and read the first line.
[The True Dragon Sword Technique is the only way a human can kill a dragon.]