Chapter 42

Chapter 42 – Chapter 6: Encounter #4

“Prince, Prince! Wake up!”

Hearing Carack’s rugged voice, In-gong turned around reflexively and blocked his ears . However, it was useless . Carack’s crude hands shook In-gong’s shoulders .

He wanted to say, ‘Five more minutes . . . ’ but woke up reluctantly from his sleep instead . Carack spoke with an apologetic voice as he looked at In-gong’s sleepy face .

"I know you are tired from yesterday, so I was going to let you sleep in . However, a letter from the Merits Department arrived . ”

“Merits Department?”

Although he was still sleepy, In-gong expressed his curiosity . It was very rare thing for the Merits Department to contact someone first .

"Here is some water to wash up . You should wake up first . ”

Carack extended a washbasin filled with cold water . After In-gong finished washing his face, he realized that Carack wasn’t the only one in the room .

"This is the letter from the Merits Department . Would you like me to open it?”

Flora, the butler he hired yesterday, was holding a tray containing a letter . In-gong nodded .

“Yes . ”

In contrast to Carack’s excitement, Flora dutifully opened the envelope and politely handed the letter to In-gong .

‘It is a summons . ’

The letter told him to come to the Merits Department because there was a new mission .

In-gong read everything and nodded . It was better to visit in person than to keep worrying about it .

"This is a mission from the demon king . ”

“Huh?”

"This is a mission from the demon king . ”

In-gong blinked and thought that he had heard wrongly . However, Isabella repeated the exact same words . She was speaking to In-gong but her eyes and voice also showed surprise .

In the end, Carack couldn’t bear it any longer and asked,

"The demon king picked a mission to give to Prince?”

His voice was tense from the confusion . Rather than take offense at Carack’s rudeness, Isabella folded her arms and said,

"I don't know the details . I was just given a command to leave this mission to 9th Prince . ”

Just like how it was rare for the Merits Department to contact someone first, it was also very rare for the demon king to entrust a mission to a specific prince or princess .

'No, has it ever happened before?’

As he searched through his memories, he couldn’t recall a time when the demon king had given someone a mission .

First, there had been the encouragement at the court gathering . Now, there was a mission .

“A special mission?”

In-gong’s voice was tense . Isabella quickly shook her head .

“No, it is a mission that was already on the list . ”

It was one of the missions already prepared for the children of the demon king .

Isabella was telling the truth but he felt like the reason wasn’t that simple .

“I understand, I will receive the mission . Do I need to sign anything?"

"Ah, over here . ”

Along with the mission letter, Isabella extended a piece of paper containing the names of the demon king’s children . It seemed to be a mission confirmation sheet .

After signing it, In-gong received the letter and left the Merits Department . Carack followed him swiftly and asked,

"Prince, what is the mission?"

"Let’s go back first . ”

There were rumours about the court gathering, so he felt people gawking at him from every direction .

In-gong felt very awkward, so he didn’t want to stand in the corridor talking to Carack .

&

"I heard that the Merits Department contacted you . Did you just come back from there?”

Chris and Caitlin were sitting side by side in the mansion’s drawing room .

In-gong laughed as soon as he saw them .

"News travels fast . Do you have a source of information?”

“No way, I just asked around . ”

Chris laughed and In-gong nodded . It wasn’t a secret, so it wasn’t strange that Chris knew about it .

This time it was Caitlin who asked .

"Shutra, have you already received a new mission?”

“Yes, this is the mission . ”

In-gong took out the letter and showed it to Chris and Caitlin . Chris narrowed his eyes and read it out loud .

"Subjugate the group of casios . . . It is a subjugation mission . ”

"Is that at Enger Plains where the centaurs are?”

Chris nodded at In-gong’s question .

"Yes, I’ve been there once with Caitlin . Subjugating the casios is an annual event, so it will be good . ”

The casios were wolf-like creatures that rushed in groups . Like Chris said, a large number of them appeared every year on the Enger Plains, so a periodic subjugation was needed .

‘In other words, this is a repeat quest . ’

It was a mission that In-gong had performed repeatedly in Knight Saga .

Chris looked once again at the mission letter . The demon king had handed him a simple task but it could be a bit too much for the current In-gong .

He didn’t know what the demon king was thinking when he gave In-gong this mission . Was he really showing favouritism to In-gong?

"Well, it will be fine if it is Shutra . You can do it . ”

Rather than questioning it, Chris gave In-gong words of encouragement while Caitlin stroked his head with an expression of worry .

"Although Caitlin and I would like to go with you . . . We don’t have an unreasonable number of appointments like Felicia noonim but we still have a schedule . ”

"Are you going back to the land of the lycanthropes?”

Chris nodded at In-gong’s question .

“Yes . Not yet, but soon . I delayed my departure for a few days because of my promise to teach you Aura . So, you will leave first . ”

"Shutra is departing tomorrow . Today, I will definitely teach you . ”

Caitlin made fists enthusiastically . She felt a little bit bad for the delay on her promise to teach him Divine Beast Authority and Aura .

'Genuine sincerity . '

It was the type of sincerity that had made her attempt to break the cliff .

Chris laughed like he thought Caitlin was cute and said to In-gong,

"Shutra, tell Felicia noonim the news .

“Huh? Felicia noona?”

"If you just go, she will surely have a grudge . Additionally, you have something to receive from Noonim . ”

"Something to receive?”

"You will know soon . ”

In-gong wouldn’t have time while being taught, so he sent Flora to Felicia’s home .

"Okay, then Caitlin, let’s begin . I will help you today, so expect a lot . ”

Chris’ muscles flexed . Caitlin’s face was also full of motivation .

Thanks to the ambitious lycanthrope siblings, one day passed in a flash .

&

Felicia appeared the next morning after the news was conveyed . It wasn’t at In-gong’ home, but in front of the transfer formation .

"I’m not late . ”

"Not late? I have been waiting . ”

Felicia glared at Chris after his mocking words . This was really friendly in comparison to when they had first met at the Red Lightning tribe .

Five people were standing in front of the transfer formation . They were Chris, Caitlin, Seira, In-gong and Carack .

Felicia approached In-gong .

“Shutra, the dark elves are an honourable species . A favour or grudge is never easily forgotten . ”

Felicia was late for a reason . She had things to prepare .

"I heard that you are going to Enger Plains . You’ll need quick feet to go with the centaurs . Ride these special guys . ”

Felicia gestured to the two big dracos in front of her . They were very well reigned and behaved in front of In-gong and Carack .

“And this . ”

Felicia pulled out a necklace and handed it to In-gong . The necklace was the real reason why Felicia was late .

It was a crescent-shaped, silver ornament with a purple gem .

In-gong knew what this necklace was . So, he couldn’t hide his embarrassment .

“Felicia noona?”

The tears of a dark elf from 6th Princess Felicia Doomblade, daughter of 3rd Queen Sylvia Doomblade and princess of the dark elves .

"You said that you won’t easily forget?”

Felicia winked playfully and embraced In-gong lightly .

"Take care of your body . ”

Felicia patted his back a few times before stepping back . Her ears and cheeks were red like she was shy about her actions .

Caitlin also hugged In-gong lightly .

"Be careful . "

As always, it was a bright smile . In-gong nodded then Chris said from the rear .

"Well, shall I just let you go?”

"Hyung should hold out your hand . ”

In response to In-gong’ reply, Chris laughed and stroked his head .

"Come back safely . "

"Yes, Chris hyung should also be healthy . ”

In-gong said goodbye to everyone . Carack also said goodbye to Seira and entered with In-gong .

In-gong looked at Caitlin one more time before entering the transfer formation .

&

The Assenba Continent, which was connected continuously from the north to the south, was divided into two parts .

They were travelling from the north to the south .

The boundary across the continent was unclear and ambiguous . There were places where the Demon World and Human World were directly connected like the Jishuka Mountains . There were also places with a zone in the middle .

There was a huge lake on the continent called Caldea,

A desert that led to the deaths of everything alive that entered it,

A deep wall of unfathomable depths,

And one more .

It was something that hadn’t stopped once since the world opened .

It was a being who refused to lie down and take a break . Red and yellow lava spewed out and covered his body but he wasn’t in any pain . Rather, he felt comfortable in the burning lava .

He had been born in lava . No flame in this world could hurt him .

The great Enkidu .

One of the six elder dragons that was said to have the power of a god .

He had received a shock as a guest had come to visit him for the first time in hundreds of years .

He was small .

Compared to Enkidu who was the size of a mountain, he was a mere speck .

However, Enkidu showed interest instead of ignoring him . He looked down at the body wrapped in black and red armour .

Conquest, war, famine and death .

The four prophesied knights of the Apocalypse .

Enkidu knew who was in front of him . Not long ago, he had felt the distinct aura of conquest coming from the Jishuka Mountains .

It was a flame;

A flame that constantly swallowed up everything .

Enkidu called his name,

"Start, War Knight . ”

It was a person who lived in eternal struggle .

The War Knight opened his mouth .