Chapter 456
Episode 130: New Year, Rumors, Major Repairs (Part 5)

I headed straight to the healing chamber temporarily set up in the mansion’s basement.

The reason for placing the healing room underground was simple: the poisonous toxin from Zephyrin still lingering in the Black Knight’s body was contaminating the air.

As I opened the door leading to the basement, a sharp, acrid smell hit me. Kuzan had just finished purifying the poison that had spread from the Black Knight, so that was the source of the stench.

“Welcome back, Your Highness,” Kuzan said, his face weary. Nearby, the top-tier healers sent by Lani and the poison specialists from the Ghost Corps lay utterly exhausted, collapsed from overwork.

Nearly two weeks had passed since the New Year began, and the Black Knight had only just awakened. They hadn’t even been able to get a proper rest during that time.

“Zet, escort the healers to the recovery room. Also, increase the monthly gold shipments to the Holy Kingdom fivefold.”

Even five times the usual amount would consume over 30% of the Holy Kingdom’s annual budget, but money was no concern.

The bigger the issue surrounding Jin became, the faster the goods from the Golden Cicada Trading Company flew off the shelves. Considering Lani’s recent successes, even fifty times the usual amount wouldn’t have been too much.

Right after the news broke that the 12th Squadron of Runcandel had taken control of the Black King’s Corps, the heads of the Golden Cicada Trading Company sniffed out the scent of profit like ghosts.

They began producing and selling “Black Dragon Murakan Limited Edition Cosmetics” in both premium and standard versions.

The Golden Cicada clan even deliberately limited the number of limited editions to increase their value. As a result, stores saw long lines of customers every day, and these limited editions were traded on the black market for dozens of times their original price.

Those who couldn’t get their hands on the limited editions flocked to other products—air fresheners, soaps, even slippers—all bearing the images of Jin and Murakan.

Everything was selling like wildfire, and money was pouring in like a waterfall.

“Your Highness!” someone called out.

“Kuzan, you should go upstairs and get some rest. Take a couple of days off with Berys somewhere quiet if you want.”

“I’ll take my vacation after the repairs are done, Your Highness,” Kuzan replied.

“That Kuzan is such a workaholic, haha. Well then, let’s have a quick drink tonight. I’ll ask Lord Valkas and Lord Rata to join us.”

Kuzan, Zet, and the healers left the basement.

Creak.

As I opened the door, I saw the Black Knight sitting on the bed.

Just as Quikantel had told me, he still couldn’t fully support himself. The detox was complete, but now he only needed medicine, rest, and time.

“Black Knight.”

I approached, and he slowly lifted his head.

His expression was dazed, like someone just waking from a dream. Even a 10-star warrior would feel drained after having such a potent poison and antidote coursing through their body for two weeks.

“Is it alright if I call you Dox McLoran?”

Dox McLoran.

That was the name I had uncovered while he was unconscious.

The 12th Squadron didn’t have the authority to access the Black Knight’s full personal records. Only the 4th Squadron or those with equivalent rank could access the details of an active Black Knight.

But this time, unlike with Barton, I didn’t need to ask another family member for information to learn Dox’s name.

He was part of Gilly’s family.

“12th Squadron…” Dox muttered, moving his lips as he looked around. Reflexively, he reached for a weapon, but the clinking of the specially made chains binding his limbs reminded him he was restrained.

I unlocked the chains.

“I’ve never imagined the Black Knight in such a defenseless state. You probably haven’t either.”

Dox said nothing, just stared at me.

But that wasn’t because he was choosing his words—it was because he was sorting through the poison still lingering in his body. It was also a moment to recall the memories he hadn’t been able to process since waking.

“What the hell happened? Damn it, the Black Helmet in this state…”

He clearly remembered the moment he was ambushed by Zephyrin, that strange mercenary.

The chilling sensation of violet claws piercing his body made him shudder again.

But after that, his memories were fragmented and chaotic, like shattered glass.

“I lost consciousness immediately from the poison I’d never experienced before. That mercenary kept attacking me, and the extreme poison made it impossible to fight back. I thought I was dead.”

If Jin and his group hadn’t been there, Dox would have died cleanly during the follow-up attacks after the ambush.

“Then… suddenly, a strange space formed, and the 12th Squadron, Murakan, and the Black King’s Corps leader shielded me and fought.”

Dox easily concluded that the 12th Squadron had saved him.

But why? He had no idea how the battle between Jin’s group, the Black King’s Corps, and Zephyrin had unfolded.

And if the mercenary was skilled enough to nearly kill him in one blow, it seemed impossible that the 12th Squadron and the guardian dragon would have been able to protect him while fighting.

So the 12th Squadron must have abandoned him and fled. Especially since they were sharply opposed to the 2nd Squadron.

“Did they decide, beyond their conflict with the 2nd Squadron, that this was the best choice for the family? If they used the Black King’s Corps as a shield, maybe it’s possible…”

Had the 12th Squadron risked their lives to save him, for the sake of the family? Even if it meant aiding the 2nd Squadron?

Suddenly, a stabbing headache hit Dox, and he clutched his head.

“Ugh…!”

“Don’t force yourself to purge the poison. We have no intention of torturing you for information about the 2nd Squadron or keeping you prisoner, so relax.”

I pulled a chair and sat down in front of him.

“Of course, torturing you wouldn’t make you talk, and even if we captured you, Joshua wouldn’t come to rescue you.”

“You… saved me?”

“Yes. Murakan, the Black King’s Corps, and I fought that monster and protected you.”

“Phew.”

“After the escape, the Holy King himself treated you at my request.”

That much was easy for Dox to imagine. Everyone in Runcandel knew about the relationship between Jin and Lani.

But when I said the next thing, Dox’s eyes widened in shock, and he flinched, forgetting all about the Black Knight’s pride.

“But even Lani couldn’t fully cure you. So we opened the Eternal Vault and used the last drop of Numinous blood left in the Holy Kingdom.”

Cough! Ahem!

Dox was so taken aback he nearly coughed up a storm. Since becoming the Black Knight, this was the first time he’d ever coughed like that.

“You yourself know best how deep the poison ran. No matter how great the Holy King’s divine power is, this poison wasn’t something that could be fully cured. Even after using the Numinous blood, you only woke up after nearly two weeks.”

“Ha… I see.”

“Does that sound unbelievable?”

I met Dox’s gaze.

Of course, it was a lie.

The Numinous blood had never been used. Dox had recovered purely through Lani’s divine power and the Holy Kingdom’s resources.

But from Dox’s perspective, it was impossible to doubt it. It wasn’t strange at all to believe that only the Numinous blood could cure such a poison. No one had ever told him otherwise, and no one had witnessed the use of it on him.

“Why? I can be grateful as a family member, but do you think I’d swear loyalty to you just because you used such a sacred relic?”

He was the Black Knight. The Black Helmets weren’t so shallow as to betray their lord just because he was their savior.

I chuckled softly. I hadn’t intended to provoke him; it was just a harmless lie that couldn’t hurt.

“Loyalty? No, I didn’t expect that. Here, take a look at this first.”

I handed him a stack of newsletters.

They were articles written by Joshua’s scribes, praising me and Murakan.

“What is this…? These are clearly from the 2nd Squadron’s media. Did the 2nd Squadron order them to publish this tone? And there’s no mention of Zephyrin anywhere. It’s all about the 12th Squadron and the guardian dragon taking over the Black King’s Corps.”

From the moment he opened his eyes, Dox was surrounded by things he couldn’t understand.

But the meaning behind these articles was clear.

“The 12th Squadron didn’t use me to make a deal with the 2nd Squadron. The 2nd Squadron thinks I’m dead. And even if they gave the 12th Squadron wings, they judged this was the best path for the family.”

Dox believed he knew Joshua better than anyone.

He wasn’t entirely wrong. After being assigned to Joshua with the consent of the family head and acting head, he had always served closely as the Black Knight.

“You don’t need me to explain why Joshua published these articles, right?”

“…I get it. Zephyrin escaped, and you stole the credit for destroying the Black King’s Corps. The 2nd Squadron doesn’t know this, so they published these articles.”

“Exactly. But even if you tell Joshua about Zephyrin’s existence, nothing will change. And when you return, Joshua won’t trust you anymore.”

That was how I saw Joshua.

Once someone slipped out of his control, no matter the reason, he never trusted them again.

Especially when a Black Knight thought dead returns, claiming a new mercenary from the Black King’s Corps ambushed him, and the 12th Squadron saved him…

For Joshua, that would throw a wrench in his calculations. He had already accepted losing one Black Knight to secure the family’s prestige and interests. Above all, trusting a Black Knight who was rescued by me was unthinkable.

—Losing the Black Knight is an indescribably painful blow, but the family must still secure the greatest possible advantage from this situation.

That was what Joshua said during his conversation with Howard.

Jin hadn’t heard those words directly, but Joshua’s calculations were proving to be spot on.

“…Think whatever you want. So, what are you going to do with me now?”

“What do you mean, what am I going to do? I’ll send you back to Joshua. Whether he trusts you again or not doesn’t matter. You won’t betray him anyway. Joshua and I are locked in a battle for supremacy, but in the grand scheme of things, you’re one of the family’s most valuable assets. That’s why I even used the sacred relic to save you.”

“Are you serious?”

“I am. But before that, you owe me a price for saving you. Once your body recovers, before you go to Joshua, you’ll carry out one order of mine.”

Dox looked up at Jin, confused.

An order? What exactly was the 12th Knight’s intention? He couldn’t quite grasp it yet.

“I’ll let you decide whether to follow that order or not. But if you refuse… once I hold the family’s reins, whatever happens to you after that will be your own responsibility.”

“You speak as if you’re already the head of the family.”

“You never know what the future holds. So, what will it be? It’s not a difficult order. For the price of the Black Knight’s life, it’s nothing.”

Dox had no reason to refuse right now.

If he declined and Jin changed his attitude, there’d be no way out.

He could recover first, leave this place, and then decide whether to carry out the order.

“Fine, I accept. Tell me what the order is.”

At those words, Jin smiled faintly.

“As soon as you’re well enough, head to the city of Ricalton in the southern region of Huepester. Investigate what’s really going on there.”

Ricalton.

It was believed to be the place where Joshua was sourcing the “human materials” for his cloning experiments.