Episode 515

When Zeke turned his head, he found himself in the study of the head of the Four Seasons Castle.

Arthur Draker, with his ash-gray hair swept back, approached Zeke.

“Why are you just standing there? Come, have a seat.”

Zeke knew this was one of Germain’s illusions. Remembering that Germain claimed to know Arthur’s secret, Zeke decided to play along and sat across from Arthur.

Arthur poured drinks into two glasses and handed one to Zeke.

“It’s strong, but it goes down smoothly. You’ll be fine.”

Zeke took the glass, savoring the aroma before taking a slow sip. Just as Arthur said, the drink was smooth.

Arthur set his glass down and looked at Zeke. “I’m proud of you, Zeke.”

Zeke felt a sudden dizziness at Arthur’s words. ‘What is this?’ For a brief moment, a ripple passed through his heart, creating a small crack. He realized he had momentarily forgotten that this was an illusion.

Arthur Draker continued, “Zeke, you are truly my son.”

The dizziness returned, and Zeke felt himself slipping away from reality. Deep inside, he wished this illusion were real, a comforting escape from his harsh reality.

‘I need to stay focused.’

Zeke reminded himself that Germain was trying to manipulate his mind, making him believe this illusion was real. If he accepted this as reality, Germain would surely take over his body.

Arthur Draker spoke again, “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.”

He paused, looking intently at Zeke before speaking slowly. “It’s something I should have said long ago. I’ve delayed it because of my own shortcomings. But… now is the time.”

Zeke resisted the pull of the illusion, reminding himself it wasn’t real.

Arthur met Zeke’s eyes directly. “Zeke, you are not my biological son.”

Zeke’s mind went blank. ‘I’m not Arthur Draker’s son?’ His thoughts raced. Germain had claimed to know Arthur’s secret. Could this revelation be the secret Germain knew?

The unexpected words shook the solid walls of Zeke’s mind, allowing a flood of thoughts to seep in. Memories of his mother, Laura Agamemnon, Arthur’s cold eyes when he was cast out, and his quest for revenge against the Draker family swirled chaotically in his mind.

‘If I’m not Arthur Draker’s son, then am I not a Draker? No, if I weren’t a Draker, I couldn’t have accepted the dragon’s heart. So what is the truth?’

As his mind grew more tangled with questions, his resistance to the illusion weakened. He began to forget that this world was an illusion, unable to escape the words that he wasn’t Arthur Draker’s son. The spell of the illusion seemed to tighten around him.

Arthur smiled at Zeke. “Zeke, even if you’re not my blood, you resemble me more than anyone.”

He raised his glass again. “Blood ties don’t matter. You’re the son I love most.”

Zeke, who had been silent, finally spoke. “Is it true that I’m not your son?”

Arthur set his glass down and nodded. “You seem surprised.”

Zeke didn’t respond, and Arthur—or rather, Germain disguised as Arthur—smirked inwardly. ‘Let the confusion deepen.’

The more Zeke’s mind dwelled on this issue, the more he settled into the illusion, accelerating his forgetfulness. Eventually, he would come to accept this as reality.

Arthur looked at Zeke. “Zeke, don’t worry about such trivial matters. I want to dream of a new future for Draker with you.”

Zeke looked up. “What kind of new future?”

“Though we now reign as the continent’s strongest as dragon slayers, who knows how long that will last?”

Arthur spoke with a solemn expression. “I’ve stained my hands with blood to protect our family. That’s why everyone fears Draker. But…”

He shook his head. “I hope the Draker you lead will be different from the one I led.”

“How so?”

“I want Draker’s name to be built on truth and trust, not lies and violence.”

Zeke stared at Arthur’s face, seeing a seriousness he’d never seen before.

“I’m sorry to burden you, but only the Knight of Salvation, not a tyrant, can achieve this.”

The Knight of Salvation, renowned across the continent. Germain believed Zeke harbored a desire to be acknowledged by his father and sought to exploit it. With a great father, a son often remains in the shadows. Though Zeke Draker’s fame was high, it hadn’t yet surpassed the tyrant’s. To be recognized by his great father, to inherit everything, and to have the entire continent honor his name—this was the ideal every knight aspired to.

Arthur slowly stood and approached Zeke, placing his hands on his shoulders. “Zeke, I believe in you. Only you can reshape Draker.”

Zeke slowly raised his hand to grasp Arthur’s hand on his shoulder. Germain, who had crafted this entire illusion, was confident Zeke was fully immersed in it. While Zeke’s soul lingered in this illusion, Germain planned to enter the deeper realm and seize control of his body.

He intended to maintain the illusion while his mental form entered the deeper realm. But then, Zeke tightened his grip on Arthur’s hand and spoke.

“Master, I have a question.”

“Master? Call me father. What do you want to know?”

Zeke tightened his grip further. “Did you love my mother?”

Arthur replied softly, “Yes, I loved her more than anyone.”

“Did she love you?”

Arthur nodded. “I believe she did.”

Zeke’s grip on Arthur’s hand grew even stronger. Germain sensed something was amiss.

Zeke spoke slowly. “Laura Agamemnon… she despised you. No, it was closer to hatred.”

Caught off guard by Zeke’s unexpected response, Germain tried to pull his hand away. But it was as if a giant held him; he couldn’t break free.

Crack—

Germain, in Arthur Draker’s guise, winced in pain as his hand bones were crushed.

“Ugh!”

As Germain groaned, Zeke tightened his grip further. “A tyrant groaning from this? Your acting is sloppy.”

Only then did Germain realize Zeke hadn’t fallen for the illusion.

With a flash, Germain’s form blurred and reappeared behind Zeke, now as a masked man in a suit. Germain glared at Zeke, shouting in anger.

—You.

—How did you escape the illusion?

—I was sure I had penetrated your mind.

—This is impossible.

“You thought I wanted Arthur Draker’s approval?”

Zeke spoke in a low voice, rising slowly. He looked down at Germain with cold eyes. “Whether Arthur Draker is my real father or not doesn’t matter. He abandoned me, and I died miserably.”

The study’s background blurred and transformed into a different place entirely. A snowstorm raged in a frozen valley of the Ice Mountains.

Germain was startled by the sudden change of scenery.

—Interfering with a unique barrier?

—Unbelievable.

—Does he possess a stronger will than us, who’ve lived a thousand years?

Zeke ignored Germain’s words, focusing on a spot in the valley. There, leaning against a cold ice wall, lay his own lifeless body, clutching a black dragon statue.

Germain was bewildered by the sight.

—This isn’t an illusion.

—He’s witnessing his own death.

—Impossible.

Zeke turned to look at Germain. “After experiencing a miserable death, you see things differently.”

With a soft hum, the shadowy sword Caladbolg appeared in Zeke’s hand. Germain finally realized that Zeke had completely taken control of the unique barrier he had set up.

An existence beyond the comprehension of Germain’s centuries-old wisdom. Germain’s mental forms felt fear towards Zeke.

—Kill him!

Germain retreated, using his bloodline ability against Zeke.

Boom!

An explosion erupted right in front of Zeke. But just before it detonated, time seemed to freeze, and the explosion hung suspended in the air. The space within the unique barrier was now under Zeke’s control, allowing him to manipulate it at will.

Zeke caught the explosion just before it could erupt, holding it in his hand.

Sssss—

The explosion fizzled out, losing its power.

It was only then that Germain realized entering Zeke’s mental realm had been a grave mistake.

—I need to get out of here.

—As soon as possible.

—If I’m not careful, I’ll be trapped in his mind.

Zzzzz—

A crack appeared in the middle of the icy valley, as if the space itself was breaking apart.

It was an escape route Germain had forcibly opened.

He tried to squeeze through the gap in the barrier to escape back outside.

But Zeke wasn’t about to let him go so easily.

Clang—

Chains of Solomon shot out from the ice wall.

Clang!

Germain’s limbs were ensnared by the chains as he attempted to slip through the gap.

Bound by the chains, Germain tried once more to transform his body into mist to escape.

Crackle—

The Chains of Solomon, designed to bind souls, refused to let go, no matter what form Germain took.

With Germain firmly in the chains’ grasp, Zeke approached him.

“How does it feel to be trapped in a barrier of your own making?”

Germain looked at Zeke, conveying his thoughts.

—Let me go.

—I’ll give you whatever you want.

—I’ll even hand over Abel Draker.

—If you want to know where Arthur Draker is, I can tell you that too.

Zeke remained unfazed by Germain’s mental pleas.

He approached slowly, his expression calm, and grasped Germain’s mask.

Crackle—

Sparks flew from the spot Zeke held.

He looked at Germain and spoke.

“You’re a fusion of chaos and curse, aren’t you?”

Zeke continued, gripping the mask tightly.

“I’ve suddenly become curious. What would happen if I were to ‘dispel’ your curse?”

Crackle—

As he activated the dispelling skill, powerful sparks erupted from Germain’s body.

Rumble—

As the dispelling progressed, Germain began to show signs of distress.

Zeke didn’t stop, continuing to activate the skill.

The curse that had bound Germain’s mental constructs was weakening.

—No.

—The bond must not break.

—We cannot exist as ourselves.

Zeke addressed Germain’s mental constructs.

“Are you still falling for that nonsense?”

He glared beyond the mask.

“Princes of a fallen kingdom, you’ve been shackled and used by a curse. By a being trapped beyond the Gate of Chaos.”

As Zeke continued the dispelling, the power of the curse faded, and the spirits that formed Germain’s mental constructs dissipated.

In the end, only the spirits of the six princes who had first been cursed remained.

Zeke looked beyond them, at the entity holding them.

“The pinnacle of the Four Fiends, the only evil god to touch divinity.”

Then, using the power of the spoken word, he called out the hidden entity’s name.

“Je-Kang.”