Episode 514
The Abyss.

The moment Damon heard that word, a tiny spark flickered in his eyes. His once-faded violet irises suddenly seemed to regain a glimmer of life. It was the instant when the last fragile thread of hope—desperately clung to amid endless despair—was about to snap.

Damon sprang to his feet, lunging at Ian. But the restraints and the soldiers quickly held him back.

“Finally, you’re starting to look human.”

With a casual flick, Ian crossed his legs and tossed a sheet of paper and a pen back in front of Damon. Damon didn’t reach for them. Ian added quietly,

“You must think you’ve lost everything. Nonsense. It’s not over yet, Damon.”

For the past ten years, Damon had only yearned for death. Enduring this dark, damp solitary cell, he had tried countless times to end his own life. That desperate desire was solely for the sake of the next life.

Reincarnation. It was worth more than any treasure he had ever grasped as king.

“There were countless deaths in the abyss. But none of them were the death you wanted. I won’t waste time. Confess everything—your reincarnation and the secrets of your bloodline. If you don’t, today will be your last day in Gaia.”

Damon had lived according to his own wishes until now. For someone whose sole purpose was death, Jin could do no harm. He could remain silent, using his severed tongue as an excuse.

But not anymore. With Ian, who had crawled up from the abyss, here, Damon’s death was no longer a hostage or a hope.

“Write.”

At Ian’s nod, a soldier placed a pen in Damon’s hand. Slowly, Damon’s fingers clenched around it. Swish, swish. Damon, just like Ian had done before, threw the paper and pen back down and glared at him.

—The reincarnation was thanks to Rutherford, and offering my bloodline was the price.

“Such a waste of paper. This is your last chance. Remember, this too is property of the royal family.”

They would eventually tally up the cost of Damon’s imprisonment and bill Vargas for it, anyway.

Damon brushed his hair back with the pen, and the soldiers behind him flinched. It was clear from this moment what kind of trouble he had caused before.

—In my first life, my brothers killed me, and I killed them in turn, soaked in blood. Then I received a revelation: I would be given a next life, thanks to the royal blood on my hands.

Ian frowned, sensing a strange déjà vu. Before he could pinpoint what it was, Damon continued his confession.

—So I needed many bloodlines. For the next life, I needed the sacrifice of those who shared my blood.

“Meeting Rutherford?”

—Not meeting. Welcoming him. Like a predetermined fate. He was the voice behind the revelation.

No. The one who gave the revelation must have been the Underworld God. Rutherford was a powerless mortal, and his reincarnation experience was similar in nature to Damon’s.

The royal bloodline—and the deaths that were needed. Suddenly, Ian realized what the déjà vu was about.

‘The Arsen incident comes to mind. The royal family, the monsters, and the bloodline.’

If the Underworld God ruled the rift, it made sense that all monsters were born under his breath. To bring down Bariel—the foundation of faith and divine blessing—toppling the royal family was the most effective method.

‘But then, what about Vargas?’

Was Vargas also a piece of Gaia? Or perhaps, in the Underworld God’s eyes, ‘noble’ blood had a special effect.

“Hmm.”

Ian tapped his toes, deep in thought. Damon gripped the pen again.

—All the bloodlines went to Toorun. Because Rutherford was there. I wasn’t told what happened to those who crossed over, but they must be dead.

“And your half-brother? Why is Vania still alive?”

—Rutherford must have found him useful. Whatever role that is, I had no interest or need to know once he left my hands.

Having sacrificed so much blood, Damon seemed to believe there would be a next life.

But really? With everything happening under the guise of chance and fate in the Underworld God’s grasp, would there truly be a next life for him?

“…Does the Vargas royal family have some kind of divine blessing?”

At the sudden question, Damon furrowed his brow.

But to Ian, it was an important question. The Underworld God targeted Bariel because Bariel’s faith formed the axis of divine existence. So if the Underworld God needed Vargas’s blood, there had to be a reason.

Damon smirked as he scribbled.

—No such thing. Bariel is the chosen one, so they talk about divine blessings and all that. Vargas has always been alone.

Ian’s eyes narrowed.

Then the Underworld God desired something in the very blood of the Vargas family. Ian stood, as if satisfied, and gave orders to the soldiers.

“Keep a close watch on him, just like now.”

“Yes, understood.”

Clank!

As Ian turned to leave, Damon struggled violently again. It was a desperate plea to know his fate clearly. A frantic thrashing, screaming that he would not go to the abyss.

Ian merely turned his head and looked at him quietly.

“Crown Prince Jin does not want you to live a third life. He wishes Bariel in your world to stand firm under endless glory. He hopes your schemes won’t leave even the smallest blemish. But—”

Creak.

Ian grabbed the iron door and muttered coldly.

“On the other hand, I do not wish you a clean death. Because beyond death lie my comrades you killed.”

Selena, who died without even closing her eyes in battle. The greedy hands that reached out to claim the bodies of fallen mages from the sky. The audacity to toy with comrades’ lives as a means of propaganda.

Though it had been ten years, to Ian it felt like yesterday—still vivid. And it was not a memory that time would fade.

“I’ll consider what to do with you. It won’t take long, so for now, wait as if you were dead, just like you have. Soon, a war will break out between Bariel and Vargas, which means all the history that led to you will be severed.”

Isn’t it truly wondrous? That countless links of parents and children stretch above you, and because of that, you exist. But for Damon, who left no children behind, that wonder would be denied. His legitimacy would end here.

“You’ll watch that happen, won’t you?”

Boom!

Ian’s teasing, laced with laughter, hit Damon hard. His eyes reddened. The soldier restraining him tightened the bonds on his right arm, amazed at this change in Damon they had never seen before. There had been no reaction like this to Crown Prince Jin.

“Good work.”

“Yes, please proceed.”

Ian was escorted out of the tower, with Romandro trailing behind.

“Ugh, why does it smell like mildew in there? It’s awful. Right, Ian?”

“Lord Romandro, there’s something I’d like you to look into.”

“Hm? What is it? Just say it! The divine blessing on Vargas? How could we find out about that? Hmm.”

Romandro pulled out a small piece of paper, ready to take notes, but Ian shook his head.

“That’s fine, but it’s not what I’m asking.”

“Then?”

“It’s about Lady Kayla of the Hollen dukedom. Could you check if her bloodline is mixed with Vargas? She has seven children, but I haven’t heard much about the duchess. I don’t recall you mentioning it either.”

Now that Ian thought about it, Romandro had no memory of it either. Probably because Lady Kayla had taken on the role of mistress, there was little sense of absence. It didn’t seem like she had passed away.

“Hmm. Alright. I’ll make some inquiries. But why?”

“I just realized that Damon and Lady Kayla share the same eye color. Their hair color is also similar. That’s not common in Bariel. I’m suspicious whether the Hollen dukedom’s military supplies trade with Vargas is just a coincidence.”

“True, it’s an uncommon eye color. But, hmm. There wasn’t much trouble during the bidding process for the business rights, as far as I recall.”

“Yes. Please check it out for confirmation.”

“Got it. Royal family or not, I’ll dig up everything related! But when do you need it by?”

You know I’m already swamped, right?

Romandro blinked pitifully, waiting for Ian’s instructions. But as usual, the answer was disappointing.

“By the end of this week. Before the payment details become clear.”

“You sure know how to say ‘hurry up’ in a long way.”

Once back at the Magic Department, I’ll have to wipe away my tears first. Romandro nodded and added the task to his list.

“By the way, Ian, tell me more about that Hollen family’s figurehead you mentioned earlier.”

“Hmm, just as it sounds. They’re handing over their territory to someone else. To a figurehead.”

Since the palace kept eyeing it, they decided to let go completely. They could transfer ownership outright or lease it with special clauses—no cancellations, huge penalties, and so on. The key was to create a plausible excuse to refuse the palace’s offer.

“It can be used as a last resort, but since that would complicate things, it’s better to keep a moderate watch. None of the central nobles are bold enough to make a direct move, so the real concern lies with foreign powers. There’s also the possibility of a fabricated figure, but that would collapse too easily to be meaningful.”

A similar case is Lady Mereloff. Just before the Mereloff heir could inherit the family, he disappeared in Toorun, leaving them stuck in limbo. So, the lady continues to govern there—for appearances’ sake, at least.

The same goes for the Holin dukedom. Ownership may have passed to someone else, but they’ve managed to maintain their influence.

“If it’s a member of the Holin family who’s either absent from the capital, missing, or nearly vanished, that would be ideal.”

“Are you talking about the Duchess, by any chance?”

“No, just an example.”

“Oh. Right. Got it. I’ll… especially… look into the Duchess’s side… hmm. Noted it down perfectly!”

As they discussed work, they soon arrived at the Ministry of Magic. Ian paused, taken aback by the unusually chaotic lobby. Romandro, who had been absorbed in some tattered papers, stumbled as he bumped into Ian’s back.

“Ah, Ian!”

“Where have you been? We’ve been looking for you!”

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing, and yet everything. Please approve this first. The documents you asked for last time are in the office, and the report is currently being transcribed. I’ll have it ready in an hour—no, thirty minutes.”

“Next! I’ve been waiting since earlier!”

“Are you kidding? I’ve been waiting even longer!”

Ian took a step back amid the growing commotion and raised a hand, signaling everyone to calm down. He knew things were usually hectic, but why was it suddenly like this?

Romandro sensed something was off too and pressed for answers.

“What’s with everyone? Are you all crazy?”

“You probably don’t have time for this either, Romandro.”

“Me? Why? What?”

“His Highness Jin has issued a special order. Everything must be wrapped up by the day after tomorrow. I heard you were going somewhere with Ian?”