Chapter 24

Chapter 24

‘Galf must be carrying out the mission around now.’

After checking the time, Gregor sat at the table and waited leisurely for his guest.

None other than Gerard.

‘Gerard would never dream that the reason I called him was to lure him out of the Ducal House.’

In order for Galf to handle the job smoothly, it had been necessary to lure Gerard outside.

That was why he had arranged the meeting at such a late hour, claiming that he had something to discuss.

‘He must have killed the Lady and her fiancé, and kidnapped the Fourth Young Master without any problems as well. The Hounds’ skills have already been thoroughly verified.’

He had also placed a Mana Oath on every single one of them, so there was no room for betrayal.

In other words, there was no way the plan would go wrong.

‘At last, I will be able to see Gerard’s despairing face. Huhuhu.’

He was already looking forward to what expression the man would make after losing his daughter.

Of course, he had no intention of revealing to Gerard’s face that he had been the one behind it.

‘When Gerard arrives, I should waste time with some meaningless conversation. Then Galf will be able to finish the job without issue.’

However, Gregor did not know that a problem had already occurred.

After a long time passed, no message came.

‘What is going on? It is already past the time he should have contacted me.’

As Gregor wondered about it, an ominous feeling suddenly came over him.

Unless something had gone wrong, there was no reason for him to still have received no contact.

It did not take long for unease to turn into certainty.

Because he ended up meeting the very person he least wanted to see.

“Why are you here……?”

“Hoho, ‘you,’ is it? No matter how thoroughly we severed ties, do you not even have the courtesy to show respect to your master?”

The person who appeared at the meeting place was not Gerard, but his former master, Dalfred.

That fact made Gregor extremely uncomfortable, and he openly frowned.

“You cast me out so heartlessly, and now you expect me to treat you as my master?”

“Was there any other choice at the time? You were the one who broke the unwritten rule of this world that one must not learn Black Magic.”

“…….”

Gregor rose from his seat as though he had nothing more to say.

He did not know why Dalfred had come instead of Gerard, but there was nothing good to gain from staying any longer.

It would only sour his mood.

As Gregor silently began walking away, Dalfred’s low voice came from behind him.

“I did not tell anyone.”

At that moment, Gregor’s steps stopped.

“I did not tell a single soul that you had learned Black Magic. Though I cast you out with my own hands, I did so because I feared it would harm your future career as a mage.”

“…….”

“I do not know how you became the Tower Master. I do not know why you are so jealous of Gerard, either. But that does not mean you may cross the line.”

Dalfred was offering sincere advice to his former disciple.

“Do not cross the line. If you do……”

Dalfred’s eyes glinted coldly beneath his wrinkles.

“It will be difficult for you to keep your life.”

At the sudden threat, Gregor merely snorted.

“Hmph. To think my former master would come to his disciple and threaten him. How absurd.”

“The fact that you take it as a threat means you must have something weighing on your conscience.”

Dalfred probed him, but Gregor did not fall for it so easily.

He only had to leave.

“Think whatever you want. I no longer feel this conversation is worth having.”

After saying that, Gregor turned his head.

His face was stiff as he walked away.

***

“Whew, I only ruined my mood for nothing. I should have left immediately instead of humoring him.”

Gregor stopped walking for a moment and let out a sigh.

For someone who had been dismissed, a reunion with his old master could not possibly be pleasant.

‘Damn it. And whose fault was it that I learned Black Magic in the first place?’

In the past, their relationship had not been bad.

Gregor had learned magic with passion.

Dalfred had watched such a disciple with satisfaction and taught him.

To anyone’s eyes, they had been the very image of a proper master and disciple.

Until the junior disciple named Gerard entered the picture.

‘If it had not been for Gerard, I would not have ended up like this.’

Gerard had not done anything in particular.

It was not as if there had been a clash of personalities between him and Gregor.

If there had been a problem, perhaps it had been within Gregor himself.

He had begun to grow jealous of the relationship between his master and Gerard.

‘Who would not be jealous when he cherished only Gerard just because his achievement progressed faster?’

That was why he had laid hands on Black Magic.

Because he felt that unless he did even that, he would never be able to catch up to Gerard.

However, he did not regret learning Black Magic now.

‘To think something I began out of curiosity would make me the Tower Master.’

Gregor, who had been interested in Black Magic from the beginning, had crossed a line he should never have crossed under the excuse that he wanted to catch up to Gerard.

He had not known that the result would lead to his expulsion.

‘Strictly speaking, the fault was largely mine. I was the one who broke the unwritten rule of the field. But…… even so, did he have to cast out a disciple he had spent twelve years with as though cutting off a rotten branch?’

It had happened more than ten years ago, but the memory was still vivid in Gregor’s mind.

Dalfred’s expression as he frowned at him as though looking at a bug.

‘To think he would cast me out so coldly over a single mistake. Was his own honor that important?’

Selfish.

If he had been a true master, should he not have embraced even the ugly parts of his disciple?

Gregor had thought that was what a master should do.

Not cast him aside like this.

‘Since he already had an outstanding disciple named Gerard, I was no longer needed. He cut the bud early because he was afraid there might be a problem with his career as a Court Mage later. That damned old man.’

His twisted heart made him see every phenomenon in a negative light.

But despair could sometimes become an opportunity.

When Gregor had nowhere to go after using Black Magic, there had been someone who reached out a hand to him.

That person was Baluduk, known as the Hand of Darkness.

‘If it had not been for Lord Baluduk, I would not be where I am now.’

That was also why Gregor abandoned his master and swore loyalty to him.

Was it not only natural to be loyal to the savior who had saved him?

Even if that savior belonged to an enemy nation.

Of course, there was another reason he had joined hands with Baluduk.

Baluduk had promised to bring down Dalfred, who had looked at him as though he were a bug.

That was also why he had targeted Gerard’s children instead of Dalfred.

‘How would a master feel when he sees his beloved disciple collapse?’

Gerard was merely the cornerstone of Gregor’s revenge against Dalfred.

There were no personal feelings involved.

‘That aside, why has that bastard Galf still not contacted me?’

As Gregor looked at the Communication Orb that gave no response, Dalfred’s words suddenly came to mind.

‘He suddenly appeared and threatened me, telling me not to cross the line. Does he know something?’

Not only could he not contact Galf, but Dalfred had appeared at the meeting place instead of Gerard.

And he had even said something that sounded like a warning.

‘Things are going strangely.’

Sensing that a problem had occurred, Gregor took out the Communication Orb he had hidden in Subspace.

It was the Communication Orb he used to contact his lord only in emergencies.

When he tapped its surface and waited, a voice soon flowed out.

-Gregor? What is the matter?

“Lord Baluduk. A problem has occurred.”

-What problem?

“I cannot contact the Hounds. Gerard did not come to the meeting place either.”

-They must have caught on.

“Pardon? That cannot be.”

Gregor denied it, but Baluduk’s voice was certain.

-The Hounds have likely already been caught. They must have realized that you instigated it.

‘Was that why that old man said those things?’

Remembering Dalfred’s meaningful words, Gregor’s expression grew serious.

“What should I do now?”

-For now, wait and see how they move. In any case, there is nothing more you can do, is there? Krhrrhl.

“Hmm…… Understood.”

It was not a very fruitful conversation.

Gregor had wanted Baluduk to give him some decisive order.

However, he did not know.

For someone who was eavesdropping on that conversation, it had been an enormous gain.

***

‘How can this be…….’

As Dalfred looked at the blinking light of the Butterfly Brooch, he could not close his open mouth.

‘To think one of the Twelve Pioneers was behind Gregor…….’

Dalfred had met Gregor for no other reason.

His purpose had been to register Gregor’s Mana Pattern with the Butterfly Brooch and eavesdrop on his conversation.

It had been a fishing expedition, based on the judgment that Gregor could not have done this alone.

But he had caught information far more enormous than he had expected.

‘I thought someone was behind him, but to think it was the Hand of Darkness, Baluduk…….’

The world had chosen the twelve greatest mages who had elevated the status of magic.

That group was the Twelve Pioneers.

Among them, Baluduk, known as the Hand of Darkness, was an extraordinary figure ranked second among the Pioneers.

‘The problem is that Baluduk does not belong to the Deccan Kingdom.’

Baluduk belonged to the Albitz Kingdom, which could be called an enemy nation.

Since Gregor had been colluding with such an enemy, it was no wonder Dalfred was shocked.

‘What should I do about this? If Baluduk is involved, it will be difficult even for me.’

All of the Twelve Pioneers were 9th Circle.

However, even within the same 9th Circle, there was a world of difference depending on one’s abilities.

The Twelve Pioneers were beings called the sky above the sky, so Dalfred could not afford to take Baluduk lightly.

In their eyes, he was no different from a newly hatched chick who had only just reached the 9th Circle.

‘This is no time to stand around. I must inform Gerard.’

Gerard might be in danger.

Thinking that, Dalfred contacted him, but it seemed he was already too late.

He had heard that a bloodbath had swept through the McLaughlin Ducal House.

“Wait there. I will go to you immediately.”

After casting Teleport, Dalfred met Gerard.

“Master.”

“Gerard, tell me what happened.”

“There was an Assassin attack last night. There were six 6th-Circle Mages, and because they had disguised themselves as servants, we failed to respond in time. It was because I was far too complacent.”

“Assassins?”

Gerard answered with a stiff expression.

There had been a reason his disciple’s expression had been so grim.

“What about your family? Were they hurt?”

“My family is safe. However, the Guard Knights and servants suffered casualties in the process.”

“I do not know what words of comfort I should offer.”

“It is all right. I have found out who the culprit is.”

“Was it Gregor?”

When Dalfred gave the correct answer at once, Gerard’s eyes widened.

“How did you know?”

“Who else besides him would have a grudge against you? In addition, I heard this.”

“This is……?”

What Dalfred held out was the Butterfly Brooch Gerard had given him.

“Listen. Hear what recording it contains.”

Gerard immediately pressed the button.

As the conversation flowed out, Gerard’s pupils slowly expanded.

When the recording ended, Dalfred spoke as though he had been waiting.

“I found myself thinking it was a good thing I learned how to use it from you. Otherwise, I would not have obtained such valuable information.”

“I-is this truly a conversation between Gregor and Baluduk? I did not mishear it, did I?”

“You likely did not. Provided that item’s performance is reliable.”

“Is Baluduk not a 9th-Circle Mage of the enemy nation, the Albitz Kingdom? And one of the strongest mages of the current age, known as one of the Twelve Pioneers?”

“You know him well.”

“A man like that has been backing Gregor all this time? And was he also the one who ordered the attack on our house?”

“I cannot know that much. What is certain is that the two of them are connected.”

“In other words, this is treason.”

Dalfred nodded as though agreeing.

If colluding with an enemy nation was not treason, then what was?

“What on earth is Gregor plotting? What kind of resentment does he hold against me to go this far……?”

“It is an ugly inferiority complex.”

“Haah…….”

To think he would drive someone into such a corner over a single inferiority complex.

Was there truly no affection left from having once learned under the same master?

Frustrated beyond words, Gerard sighed, but the path he had to take was already decided.

“I will go to him immediately.”

“And what will you do once you go?”

“Whether it ends well or badly, I have to confront him.”

“Do you think he will obediently meet you? His Assassins are not contacting him, so he will believe his crime has been exposed.”

“…….”

“And what will you do if Baluduk gets involved by some chance? Even if the two of us joined forces, we cannot defeat Baluduk.”

“Then what should I do? Am I supposed to simply stand by and watch that shameless bastard who laid hands on my family?”

Gerard became agitated in a manner unlike himself, but Dalfred did not mind.

Instead, he offered rational advice.

“First, Gregor may target you again, so evacuate your entire family. If possible, it would be best to come to the safe Royal Court.”

“The Royal Court……. It is certainly safer than anywhere else.”

Only the king’s family and the families belonging to the Court Mage Corps could enter the Royal Court.

No matter how deranged Gregor was, he would not be able to infiltrate the Royal Court.

“And after that?”

“We must inform His Majesty the King of the truth and ask for help. After all, we have found a traitor.”

It was the most realistic method, but Gerard looked worried.

“Will His Majesty believe us?”

“He will. If we let him hear this.”

What Dalfred held up was the Butterfly Brooch.

***

“The Royal Palace?”

At the sudden news that they had to move to the Royal Palace, Zeke asked back in surprise.

“Why?”

“Because of the Assassins who attacked last night, we have decided to stay at the Royal Palace for a while. Your father seems to have judged that it would be dangerous if we remained here.”

As Dana said that, she looked over Zeke’s body.

“Are you truly all right?”

“I told you, I am fine.”

“They say you caught the Assassins. Why on earth did you do that?”

‘Why? Because of the Quest.’

Swallowing those words, Zeke answered with a shameless expression.

“In times like this, should you not ask how I subdued them first?”

“That does not matter. What matters is your safety. You could have been in danger.”

As he looked at his mother’s face, filled with worry, Zeke inwardly thought that he was glad he had reincarnated.

In his previous life, there had been no one who worried about him.

“I stepped in because I was confident. And how could I just ignore it when Elder Sister and my Future Brother-in-law were in danger?”

“Luna and Theo would be truly happy to hear you say that.”

‘Would they really? They left without even a single word of thanks after I saved them.’

It seemed Dana did not even know that they had picked a fight with him.

“Still, be careful. To me, you are all I have.”

“Do not worry. I have enough strength to protect myself.”

“If that is so, then I am relieved.”

Dana did not ask until the end how he had such strength.

“Have they found out who instigated the attack?”

“I am not sure. Your father seems to know, but he only says that it is not yet the right time……”

‘I did not ask because I was actually curious. I asked to confirm it.’

Zeke already knew who had instigated the Assassins.

Judging by both intuition and circumstances, the Tower Master was the most likely culprit.

Since his father was hiding that fact as well, his guess was probably almost correct.

‘The Royal Palace, huh…… Will I be able to absorb magic there?’

Just as he was interested only in building his Skill Proficiency,

someone unexpected approached Zeke.

It was Luna and Theo.

“Hello, Second Mother.”

“Luna. Is your body all right?”

“I am fine. I was not hurt anywhere.”

“Even if you say that, you must have been very frightened. You went through something like that, after all.”

“Thank you for worrying about me.”

As Zeke watched the conversation between the two, he was inwardly surprised.

He had never seen Luna act so politely toward his mother.

“It seems you came because you have something to say to Zeke. I will excuse myself.”

As Dana tactfully stepped away, a subtle silence flowed among the three of them.

Theo was the first to open his mouth.

“Um, Zeke.”

“What is it?”

“Ah, well.”

After hesitating, unexpected words came from Theo’s mouth.