King's Tomb

“The closer I become with King Suira, the more Jan will boil over. To drive him to extremes, I need to build more friendship with King Suira.”

“But I’m concerned Jan might join hands with Rakis.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Having properly tasted Rakis’s power, Pernok had also considered whether Jan might seek an alliance with them.

“Even Rakis can’t overlook an allied nation’s difficulties. If Jan is cornered, Rakis will have no choice but to divide its forces. Rather, the alliance will shoulder Tyr as a shackle.”

“Creating an alliance to disperse attention and gnaw at them… With the Holy Kingdom positioned above Tyr, it doesn’t seem bad.”

“But now is also the time for us to build strength. Above all, we’re not ready to take Chris’s head.”

With etherealization and Full Body Weaponization, he had reached the point where he wouldn’t die to Chris.

However, merely defending was meaningless.

He lacked weapons to counterattack Chris.

“Therefore, I intend to find the King’s Tomb while the coronation ceremony is being prepared.”

“Hasn’t the competition become meaningless now? Will there be problems with legitimacy?”

“No. I heard there’s an interesting treasure in the King’s Tomb.”

Pernok recalled the ‘darkness’ Phillena had used against him.

If he hadn’t dodged with etherealization, the darkness might have melted him.

That sinister weapon was merely part of the legacy the first king left behind.

The calamity sealed in the tomb that Bamont mentioned.

If it was more vicious and powerful than the darkness.

If he could somehow move it according to his will.

It might birth another weapon to oppose Rakis.

“I’ll have to see whether I can properly retrieve that treasure or not. However, right now I must gather even the slightest possibilities to oppose Rakis.”

Illumina’s first king.

The calamity left by the Magus of Sealing.

“I have to scrape together everything I can.”

“But have you found the tomb’s location?”

“There are a few places I can guess. I’ll examine all the clues in the treasury to pinpoint it.”

“Won’t Duke Flemyr perhaps know?”

“He said he doesn’t. That tomb… is shrouded in mist, and I heard it absolutely forbids entry to anyone not of royal blood. Interestingly, Flemyr has memories of reaching that vicinity but didn’t know the precise terrain.”

“You mean he arrived but got lost?”

“It’s a strange phenomenon. However, if that’s a mechanism of the tomb left by the Magus of sealing, I have no intention of clumsily bringing others along.”

“But going alone to find it is dangerous.”

“Besides Chris, there’s no one else who threatens me. Is there anyone in the kingdom now who can face Chris?”

“……”

“If there’s no guard stronger than me, there’s no need to have one tagging along. Rather, moving alone makes it easier to prepare for emergencies.”

“Understood. Then when Your Majesty departs, I’ll conceal your whereabouts so no vacancy is felt.”

“How long is needed until the coronation ceremony preparations?”

“At the earliest a month, at the latest it should begin within two months.”

Even that seemed fast to Pernok.

The aftermath of Illumina’s civil war wasn’t as light as expected.

The prolonged war had impoverished the people and damaged the territory.

His subordinates’ opinion was that the coronation ceremony should be held after minimal restoration work.

Since they were being reborn as a new nation, they wanted to prioritize the cause of caring for the people as a distinguishing point from previous kings.

“I’ll return before the coronation ceremony opens. And send invitations to the allied nations. Since Rezhen’s civil war aftermath is also significant, tell Duke Flemyr to stay a bit longer.”

“Yes.”

Pernok placed a thick stack of papers before Rio.

“I’ve written about the new nation’s name, legal system, culture, and such. Based on this, arrange positions well so everyone isn’t confused.”

“You’ve already determined the positions.”

“I’ve only set the major framework. You fill in the detailed personnel needed for each department.”

“Me?”

“You’re the Chancellor.”

When Rio’s eyes widened in surprise, Pernok chuckled.

“If you selected strange people swayed by sentiment, I’ll restore everything, so work according to your convictions.”

“It’s too much for me.”

“I’ll make that judgment. And I thought you were the only one for the new kingdom’s Chancellor position. Are you spitting on my decision now?”

“N-no.”

“I promised in the mountains at first. If I became king, I’d fulfill the wish you desire.”

Pernok gazed at Rio and spoke gently.

“The day I return after finding the tomb, I’ll grant your wish.”

Lightly patting Rio’s shoulder, Pernok left the office.

Left behind, Rio stared blankly at the personnel reorganization plan for a while, then soon made a resolute expression and picked up the seal Pernok had prepared.

The pattern symbolizing the Chancellor’s authority was engraved on it.

Pernok entered the treasury and set down the scale.

[Puha!]

The thought-form of 2nd King Bamont infused with spiritual power popped out.

[It’s been a while, Pernok!]

Like an innocent child, Bamont hopped around the treasury.

[Where is this?]

“A place with clues to the tomb.”

[Are you finally going to find Uncle’s tomb?]

“Right. The tomb’s secret you mentioned bothered me.”

As Pernok fiddled with the clue devices and recited the emerging words to Bamont.

Bamont tilted his head at times but reacted to several words.

[Oh? Right! Mist will rise around that tomb!]

“Was there a mechanism concealing the tomb?”

[Of course! If you’re not of royal bloodline, you can’t break through Uncle’s seal!]

“What about applying strong shock from outside?”

[Uncle’s seal is like a ‘law’. It’s a providence that even the strongest power can’t suppress. Rather, if you push with force, you’ll be trapped by the seal, I think?]

“You talk as if you’ve experienced it.”

[My cousins tried to ransack the tomb. They used force stubbornly and were instead swallowed by the mist. And I never saw my cousins again.]

“A law…”

He grew even more interested in that calamity which such an existence had buried together with himself and kept sealed all along.

“You said you remember inside the tomb?”

[I don’t know in detail, but if I go and look, I think I’ll recognize a few things!]

“Let’s continue finding clues.”

As Pernok recited, Bamont kept answering, and various vague words began connecting as one.

Combining even the clues he’d first received from Yuliana, Pernok pinpointed two regions.

“One place is mountains and the other is plains.”

[Uncle loved the plains! He said he could scatter abundant seeds there!]

“Then I should search this Lagorand Plains to the northeast.”

[Hehehe, then we’ve found the tomb?]

“I’ll have to go and confirm. And.”

Pernok placed Bamont on his palm and said.

“The coast you desired. I think I can conquer it.”

[R-really?]

“Will that resolve all your lingering attachments?”

[Just let me see it with my own eyes!]

Pernok nodded.

Come to think of it, he realized anew that Bamont had exceptional insight.

During the civil war, Pernok had judged that to escape Illumina’s situation of being surrounded by powerful nations, they must open sea routes. Bamont had already known this hundreds of years ago.

If Bamont had opened sea routes, current Tyr wouldn’t exist, and wouldn’t Illumina have grown into a powerful nation rivaling Rakis?

Thinking that way, he understood anew why Bamont had left his thought-form in the scale.

When the means to enrich the nation was lost right before his eyes due to descendants’ inadequacy, how could he not feel wronged?

“I’ll show you a very vast place from the highest point.”

Pernok didn’t deliberately mention that Illumina was being reborn as a new nation.

Because Bamont had been Illumina’s king, and he thought he would watch with devastated feelings a situation no different from the nation’s destruction in future generations.

As a fellow king’s sentiment, he considered it something he couldn’t bear to say—that the nation you protected would be inherited by a new nation in later generations.

[Hehe, I’ll look forward to it!]

His obsession with the coast was partly because it was a strategic stronghold, but he also wanted to show the lingering thought-form the past glory it had dreamed of last.

‘How far has Kelt’s research progressed?’

Having rushed around frantically with the civil war until now, he hadn’t confirmed how far the historical research related to his subordinates had progressed.

Thinking he should handle it one by one when he had leisure after the coronation ceremony, Pernok left the treasury.

And after briefly explaining the tomb’s location to Rio, he disguised himself and left the royal capital.

“…?”

The High Priest was looking curiously at Pernok departing suddenly.

Rio hastily approached and spoke.

“Did you see?”

“He seems to be going somewhere urgently…”

“He has something to do quietly.”

“What is it?”

Instead of answering, Rio wore a smile.

Arisha also smiled.

“If problems arise, please let me know.”

“I’ll gratefully accept the High Priest’s sentiment. And His Majesty said not to worry as he’ll look into places for temples.”

“About those temples, would the coast also be possible?”

“The coast? Illumina is all inland.”

“But after negotiating with Tyr or driving them out, won’t sea routes open?”

Rio swallowed a hollow laugh.

Though her expression had been consistently the same from beginning until now, Arisha spoke as if certain.

“Prince Jan won’t stay idle. If it’s His Majesty, he’ll aim for that opportunity.”

She must have received some information.

“Have you heard news from Tyr?”

“Well. I merely had a premonition that bombs would explode everywhere. Ah! I’ve also heard rumors His Majesty is seeking a marriage match.”

“The High Priest seems to know many things.”

“Now that we’re on the same boat, we shouldn’t hide things from each other.”

Rio smiled and presented an invitation.

“We’ll also invite Tyr’s king to the coronation ceremony.”

Arisha received the invitation and answered.

“Then we’ll bring His Eminence the Sacred Emperor.”

The Sacred Emperor…

Known as an S2 Magus and the wise giant who had supported the Holy Kingdom for decades. All diplomacy with foreign nations was entrusted to Arisha, so most hadn’t properly seen his face.

‘They’ll bring the Sacred Emperor himself to join in the sea routes.’

From the firmness felt in the gentle voice, Rio thought establishing temples wouldn’t be easy.

‘If temples are established in the most important place responsible for the kingdom’s hundreds of years, it will also affect His Majesty’s royal authority.’

Promises between nations are made in that generation and don’t pass to later generations.

Memories faded after all parties die are bound to remain as distorted history.

Right now Arisha confidently asserted she wouldn’t challenge royal authority with powerful strength, but there was no guarantee the Holy Kingdom decades or hundreds of years later wouldn’t covet the new nation based on temples.

For the kingdom’s future, worrisome seeds must be eliminated at once from the earliest stages.

“I hope to personally introduce to the Sacred Emperor how vast and lush Illumina’s plains are.”

“How could we dare covet Illumina’s granary? We’ll establish temples in quiet places as originally promised, caring for the poor. Places as underdeveloped as the coast.”

Rio and Arisha looked at each other and smiled wordlessly.

Lagorand Plains bore the ruins of war intact.

The crops that should have been harvested from this fertile land had all their grass and seeds mercilessly trampled by Yuliana’s advance.

There wasn’t even a dwelling nearby to find, making it difficult to inquire about the plains’ hidden aspects from anyone.

Pernok wandered the vast plains carrying only the clues obtained from the treasury and Yuliana.

‘Was it said to be a place where sunset gathers very intensely?’

The clues mainly referred to times like sunset or dawn.

‘When golden waves ripple, the king’s radiance will finally guide the path.’

That warm time when grain ripens and ripples.

When Pernok was wandering the plains timing it.

[Huh?]

Suddenly Bamont surged from the scale in his breast.

The light flowing from the thought-form was becoming distinct.

[There!]

Timed with the setting sun, Bamont leaped toward one place.

[It’s ahead!]

They arrived at a slightly hilly place.

He thought the scenery beyond would obviously be the same plains.

However, the moment sunset struck the scale in his breast and poured light onto the crown.

In the blink of an eye, the scenery beyond the hill changed.

[It’s mist!]

In an instant, the entire front was covered in mist.

‘I see. This is what it meant to respond to royal bloodline.’

A landscape distorted from reality that only those with the blood could see at specific times.

Beyond the mist was certainly a space formed of ‘law’ severed from reality.

‘That mist itself is a massive seal.’

Blood was the key to enter it.

[Right! It’s here! The tomb is inside!]

When Bamont’s thought-form intensified, the mist stirred.

As if facing someone longed for, it readily allowed Bamont’s entry.

Soon when Pernok tried to follow in.

Thud!

An unknown transparent barrier blocked Pernok.

“…?”

When Pernok reached his hand into the mist, the barrier obstructed entry like a wall.

[Huh?]

Bamont also seemed flustered.

[This only blocks people not from the royal family?]

The seal’s law that blocked intruders.

Though a bastard, it was impossible for Pernok who inherited royal blood to be unable to even enter.

However, when the mist began rippling, Pernok grasped the reason.

[The flawed soul that denies the providence of causality cannot enter here.]

A heavy voice from within the mist echoed.

[Uncle?]

Bamont’s puzzlement deepened.

[Specter, begone.]

The mist gradually receded.

As if the mist would disappear together with Bamont like this, Pernok reached out his hand.

And.

Bang!

Gripping the barrier, he forcibly seized the fading mist.

“Remarkable.”

When Pernok added strength to his grip, the barrier screamed and began cracking.

“But crude.”

The voice that had permeated the mist.

The form this achieved wasn’t simple mana.

This that didn’t disappear despite the passage of years was surprisingly mixed with special power.

“Imitating spiritual power.”

Pernok pressed down on the mist’s barrier in one stroke with high-purity spiritual power.

BOOM!

Stepping beyond the transparent barrier shattering into pieces like fragments, Bamont let out a shocked cry.

[H-how did you break this!?]

Bamont who had been confident no one could break it had reason to be flustered.

“It seems the first king approached spiritual power in a living body.”

The mist twisted and tried to swallow Pernok.

However, when Pernok spread spiritual power, it flinched without approaching.

“Not bad.”

Pernok struck Divine Punishment everywhere.

In an instant the mist vanished, revealing the passage it had concealed all along.

Deep inside, something ominous that stimulated Observation Eye was sleeping.