Chapter 682: The Relentless Phantom
Amber had left. Gawain quietly watched Veronica—who still appeared calm and composed, the dual identity of Veronica and Ophelia—and Pittman stood silently nearby, his eyes narrowed as if resting them.
“I thought you’d leave with her,” Veronica said to Gawain. “After all, you seem quite concerned about your ‘guard.’”
“I know her well,” Gawain replied. “Right now, she just wants some peace and quiet. But before that, there are a few things I need to discuss with you.”
“…The Renegades are a group of paranoid, fanatical heretics. Our plan is no different,” Veronica said frankly before Gawain could speak. “We try to preserve our humanity as much as possible, but mere humanity can’t stand against gods or the apocalypse. Sometimes, our methods may seem as cold and ruthless as those of cultists. I hope you understand that.”
“Don’t worry, I’m well aware,” Gawain shook his head. “The ‘Divine Blight’ project Kamail was involved in isn’t fundamentally different from the ‘Shadow Plan,’ and those plans share much with the methods of the Cult of the End. The difference is, at least you’re still trying to hold on to your humanity.”
“That makes no difference—at least not to someone like Miss Amber.”
“She’ll calm down eventually. Today was just overwhelming for her,” Gawain said. “I have some questions for you.”
Veronica nodded. “Go ahead.”
“saril Randolf received orders from Francis Morn to search the Shadow Fortress in the Dark Mountains. How did Francis II know about the Shadow Fortress?”
This was a crucial question. The Renegade Plan was one of the greatest secrets left by the ancient Gondor Empire, known to very few. So why did the young Francis II know about the Shadow Fortress? He even possessed a pair of Shadow Signet Rings used to open it. saril Randolf’s mission was highly classified—even the then-Regent Duke was unaware. Did Francis II secretly have contact with some ancient Renegade, gaining clues about the fortress?
Though the Ansu monarchy had ended and Francis II’s secrets no longer mattered, this involved the Renegade Plan, and Gawain couldn’t help but ask.
“My ‘father king’…” Veronica’s face showed a faint sigh at the mention of Francis II. She shook her head softly. “I don’t know where he learned of the Shadow Fortress, but from what I’ve observed, he was unaware of the Renegade Plan.”
“Your observation and judgment?” Gawain caught the subtle implication. “You suspected he might have known about the Renegade Plan?”
“He had a Shadow Signet Ring—that alone piqued my interest,” Veronica said calmly. “But after investigation, I found he regarded the ring merely as a powerful artifact. I once thought he had just stumbled upon an ancient relic by chance. The Gondor Empire’s creations were scattered by the old expedition forces, and many remain lost in the wasteland. Such finds aren’t unusual. But after hearing what you said today, I have a new theory…”
Gawain raised an eyebrow. “A new theory?”
“He possessed the ring and knew it was the key to the Shadow Fortress. But just as he didn’t know the ring’s connection to the Renegade Plan, he likely didn’t know the fortress’s secrets. He probably only knew it hid some powerful force or treasure—both very tempting to a young king desperate to change his puppet fate,” Veronica explained clearly. “These incomplete clues and the two signet rings… perhaps someone with ulterior motives deliberately fed him this information.”
Gawain frowned. “Someone with ulterior motives?”
“…There may be Renegades besides Kamail and me,” Veronica said. “We, the Renegades, dare not die before our ultimate goal is achieved. Even if the magical tide erupts and the empire falls, stubborn phantoms will crawl out of the wasteland to continue the plan. If such ‘phantoms’ exist, they are the most dangerous.”
A silence fell between them.
Though Veronica’s words were conjecture, she had been close to Francis II for years as his ‘daughter.’ Her judgment carried great weight in Gawain’s eyes. And what she said seemed the most plausible explanation.
If other Renegades still roamed the world, secretly contacting Francis II—not seeking allies like Veronica/Ophelia, but using the young king as a pawn to open the ancient Shadow Fortress and seize what they wanted—then the intelligence leak that led to the royal shadow guard’s disappearance was no accident. The mysterious Renegade cut off that line cleanly.
Afterward, Francis II never received further information about the fortress or the plan. His secret actions were hidden even from the Regent Duke, and the matter faded into obscurity. No one knew the king had sent the royal shadow guard to seek an ancient relic, and the powerful Shadow Signet Ring was disguised as a coincidental magical artifact. If Francis had been better at spinning tales, he might have passed it off as a family heirloom: before the Second Dynasty, the Morn family had many branches and controlled numerous Gondor relics. Though Francis II was an illegitimate descendant, he had access to some Morn heritage, making such a lie hard to disprove.
If all this was true, one question was key: who wanted to use Francis II to get the ‘inheritance’ inside the Shadow Fortress? More directly—who, decades ago, had designs on Amber?
Veronica caught Gawain’s thoughts and casually said, “Just think about what ‘Android No. 36’ represents in biotechnology, and it won’t be hard to guess who’s after her.”
“…The pinnacle of biochemical technology,” Gawain said gravely. “The Cult of the End. The clues finally connect.”
The clues finally connected—
Gawain had long known the Cult of the End bore the shadow of the Renegade Plan. Their Crystal Cluster disaster was proof. Those crystal giants were essentially a continuation of the ‘Divine Blight’ project, so they undoubtedly preserved part of the Renegade legacy.
It was no surprise that one or two ancient Renegades survived among them. These phantoms who lived through the magical tide had tried decades ago to contact the Ansu royal family. They not only recruited and used Edmond Morn but had also made moves against Francis II!
By coincidence, this changed saril Randolf’s fate, bringing Amber from that subspace fortress into the real world…
Years later, Amber unwittingly loosened Gawain Cecil’s coffin lid, releasing the very man who had just been reborn—Gawain himself. His resurrection ultimately led to the Cult of the End’s destruction.
“Fate is truly an inscrutable thing,” Gawain murmured, the chain of coincidences and inevitabilities flashing through his mind. “But no matter what… the Cult of the End is finished.”
“The Cult of the End may be finished, but the ‘phantoms’ always return from death,” Veronica reminded him. “Don’t let your guard down so easily. A vast dark cult, even after destruction, leaves countless limbs and fragments moving in the ruins. If one patient phantom survives, those fragments could gather and be reborn.”
“Your metaphor is unique, but you’re right. The empire will continue to hunt those cultists. I’ll never relax on that front,” Gawain said seriously. Then he glanced at the mechanical clock on the wall. “…It’s about time. I should check on Amber.”
Veronica bowed her head deeply. “Please, do as you wish.”
“Mm.” Gawain acknowledged and turned to leave. But just as he stepped forward, Veronica’s voice came from behind him:
“From your perspective, how do you view our actions in the Shadow Fortress back then?”
Gawain didn’t turn. After a moment’s thought, he spoke solemnly: “Do you remember what you once told me? About sacrifice—”
“Every sacrifice only proves our own failure.”
“Remember that, even if you’re experimenting on yourselves.”
“That is the Renegades’ principle.”
Gawain nodded and strode out of the hall.
Veronica watched him go, the platinum scepter in her hand faintly glowing with holy light.
She whispered, her voice low and almost a murmur, “If it had been in the age of Gondor… you would have been an excellent Renegade…”
Pittman lifted his eyelids slightly and glanced at Veronica. “You ‘Renegades’ are pretty stubborn about your cause.”
“We are ghosts who should have long since died, yet we stubbornly refuse to leave. That is our persistence.”
“When will you phantoms finally die for good?”
“…When we die without regrets.”
Pittman shrugged, hands behind his back, his stooped figure slowly walking away, muttering under his breath, “Anyway, don’t cause trouble for Amber.”
…
The night wind stirred the flags above the terrace. Cold air from the north swirled between the castle’s towers and gates. Music and laughter from the banquet hall and courtyard echoed faintly on the breeze, distant yet clear in Gawain’s ears.
He stepped onto the empty terrace and walked straight to the edge, casually saying, “So this is the ‘getting some fresh air’ you mentioned?”
Amber’s figure emerged from the darkness, sitting cross-legged on the ground without looking up. “Is there a problem?”
Gawain glanced at the ‘half-elf’ and then at the piles of food around her. Struggling to keep his tone steady, he said, “If I’d known you’d bring three plates of cake, four plates of peanuts, four plates of sunflower seeds, two plates of candied fruit, five servings of roast meat, and three bottles of wine just to get some fresh air, I definitely wouldn’t have come.”
Amber looked up at him and raised a hand. “I even brought two chicken legs—just finished one when you showed up…”
“…So I should have left you out here all night,” Gawain glared at her. “It must have taken a lot of effort to gather all this from every corner of the banquet and pack it up.”
“Actually, it wasn’t too bad. I had my people help…”
Gawain stared at this baffling ‘half-elf’ for a long moment, still unsure whether to toss her off the terrace or not. He could only sigh wryly. “Is this your way of contemplating life?”
This time, Amber finally fell silent for a few seconds, then let out a rare sigh. “I’ve been thinking… but I still haven’t figured it out.”
“Thinking about what?” Gawain came over and stood beside her. “Tell me.”
“Androids…” Amber muttered. “Do you think I’m still a normal person?”
“That depends on how you feel,” Gawain said. “Has being an ‘android’ ever caused you any truly abnormal experiences in your life so far?”
“…If I had to say, maybe. My shadow talent is so strong, I’m pretty slick at stealing stuff…”
Gawain: “…”
(End of chapter)