"Your highness, when are you thinking about hitting the Roan Kingdom? We will probably start with the Gyerre territory, right?"

'Aigoo.' Cale shook his head side to side at the things the knight was saying to Adin.

– Human! That knight and the Imperial Prince have such unbelievable thoughts!

'That's exactly how I feel.' Cale approached Adin a little more.

– Human, Human! I am thoroughly observing the inside of this terrace. Just trust me.

Unlike normal terraces, this terrace was divided up on the inside with glass. Cale observed Adin, who was on the other side of the glass.

Something was weird. Adin's complexion was oddly too good.

"Your highness." The Imperial doctor filled the empty wine glass with dead mana as he asked. "Who will you send to the Eastern continent then?"

'The Eastern continent? Why is he suddenly talking about the Eastern continent? To see White Star or something?' Cale frowned.

"I'm not so sure about that."

Adin had an odd smile on his face, but one of the knights who was looking at him asked in a concerned voice.

"Are you planning on going yourself, your highness? Aren't the injuries left by that sword master still there?"

The injuries left by the sword master. He was talking about the injuries Choi Han left on Adin.

"Ah, this?" Adin pointed to his chest.

His skin looked smooth without even the smallest of scars.

"Yes, your highness. I've heard that his aura's attribute is quite tough and that it was difficult to heal. Although I'm certain that you will overcome it, this lowly fool cannot help but worry."

Smirk.

The knight stopped talking. It was because Adin was smirking. It was different than his usual smile that made him look like a good guy. It was clearly a sneer.

"That sword master, Choi Han's attribute is indeed quite tough." Adin took another sip of dead mana.

He did not feel any pain.

He didn't feel anything at all.

He just calmly assessed Choi Han's strength. "But he's only half-complete."

'Half-complete?' Cale's expression turned dark.

Honestly speaking, Choi Han was the one who was struggling the most to improve.

Actually, rather than struggling to improve, the fact that stronger people appeared and some other people got stronger made it so that Choi Han didn't really stand out anymore.

However, Choi Han was strong enough to cause pain to the Dragon half-blood.

'What does he mean by half-complete?'

– Human, I figured it out.

He could hear Raon's voice.

– I figured out what is weird about the Imperial Prince.

Cale flinched at Raon's tone which was serious for once and looked at Imperial Prince Adin's hand. It was the hand that was not holding the wine glass.

There was smoke coming up from his palm. It was aura smoke. It was a thick aura smoke that could only come from a highest-grade expert who was right underneath the sword master level.

Cale remembered that Adin was a highest-grade expert and not a high-grade expert as was publicly announced.

'...But the color of his aura is-

black?'

The thick aura smoke rising from Adin's hand. It was black in color, just like Choi Han's aura.

'That was a color that only Choi Han is supposed to have. Wasn't that how it was in [The Birth of a Hero]? Wasn't every swordmaster has different color of aura?'

Cale then heard both Adin and Raon's voices at the same time.

"Choi Han can't handle me. He can't handle the current me."

– The Imperial Prince is different than before! Despair is his attribute now!

'Despair? Choi Han...' Cale's mind started to quickly move. 'Is it because of me? But...'

There were too many new truths to think about.

– I knew he felt weird for some reason! That is why Choi Han's despair was eaten up! Choi Han doesn't have perfect darkness nor despair! I, Raon Miru, am truly great and mighty for figuring this out!

'Choi Han's despair was incomplete because of me. But...' Cale couldn't help but scoff. 'This bastard has despair?'

– I'm sure he must have drunk the black despair! He ate the thing that Choi Han rejected! He gobbled up other people's despair and is using their despair as aura!

Raon was huffing and puffing more than ever before.

– That bastard is worse than trash!

'He ate other people's despair?'

The black despair.

The screeches of the voices inside the black despair were still ringing in Cale's ears.

Choi Han had been shaken up but rejected the black despair thanks to Raon and Clopeh dragging him out of its bewitchment.

'But this bastard Adin absorbed that? Is black mage able to absorb the black despair as well?'

A lot of complicated thoughts passed through Cale's mind. They then all worked together to arrive at a single conclusion.

"...This is just too much." Cale's voice that couldn't be heard due to soundproof barrier magic headed toward Adin on the other side of the glass. Cale's anger had turned to shock.

"Haha, you truly are amazing, your highness! That's right, someone half-complete cannot defeat you!" The knight who asked the question, as well as the others, all agreed with that statement and started to laugh.

Cale who was watching this from outside the terrace petted the Cat's back after hearing a growl. Sir Rex was angry.

One of the subordinates asked Adin a question with a serious expression on his face at that moment. "Your highness, I still think that it would be good to send someone else to the Eastern continent. It doesn't seem right for you to personally go to handle a measly Mercenary King."

'The Mercenary King? The leader of the Eastern continent's Mercenaries Guild? Why is that person being brought up?'

"Please send me, your highness. I will go to the Eastern continent and take away the power from the Mercenary King to give you a new life."

'A new life?' Cale's expression turned odd again. 'So, the Mercenary King has something that will give Adin a new life? Are they talking about the artifact?'

Adin shook his head at the knight. "There's no need. Arm will soon start to move to eat up the Mercenaries Guild."

Based on what Cale knew, the Eastern continent's Arm avoided the Mercenaries Guild as they started to take over the underworld. That was how big the Mercenaries Guild's influence was on the Eastern continent.

'But they are aiming for that Mercenaries Guild now? What is going on in the Eastern continent right now?'

Cale started to think about Ron, who should be at the Eastern continent's inn. It sounded as if he needed to check in with Ron.

"Will Arm be able to do it?"

Adin nodded his head at the Empire's mage who asked the question. "White Star-nim has been in the Eastern continent for the last few months in order to take care of it. That is why the Tower Master is also there to report about the war and take care of other things."

'Ah... so it wasn't 'my liege' yet... they are still in cooperation, I guess.'

"When will the Tower Master return?"

"He should be back within four days."

"Ah." Cale let out a gasp. 'Will that bastard come if I cause a ruckus here? How many Ancient Powers did he get already?'

The corners of Cale's lip twitched as they curled up.

– Human! I think that it was smart not to kill Adin right now! He's revealing everything on his own!

'That's exactly how I feel.'

"I can receive the power when White Star-nim takes over the Mercenaries Guild. Then I will have a complete body."

The Imperial doctor quickly bowed toward Adin.

"I look forward to how you will shine brightly in the future, your highness."

"I will pray and pray again for that day to quickly come."

The subordinates almost fought each other to talk about Adin's bright future before the others. "Everything will be under your control, your highness."

Cale made up his mind after listening to all of this.

The power that the Mercenary King is supposed to have. The power that had enough healing abilities to give someone a new life.

"I need to meet him for more information about the Wind Island."

Cale could feel a small front paw patting his back as soon as he said that.

– Is it to give it to gramps!? Will we go meet the Mercenary King after everything over? Human, you're so smart!

The six-year-old was patting Cale's shoulder as if he was a proud parent.

'Aigoo, Raon, the roles are reversed again.' Cale let out a sigh.

He heard Adin's voice at that moment.

"We will strike the southwest border of the Roan Kingdom in five days. I will focus on recovering my strength until then, but report in about all preparations."

The subordinates all bowed in unison and shouted back. "We have received your orders."

Cale casually commented while looking at them. "Just fools acting like fools."

The chances of them being destroyed before they could head to destroy the Roan Kingdom in five days were much higher.

Cale watched as Adin gave the wine glass back to the Imperial doctor.

"Let's head back in."

"Yes, your highness."

Screech. Adin headed to the room inside the terrace with the screeching of his wheelchair.

Cale could see a warm and luxurious room.

Chhh. However, that sight disappeared as the Imperial doctor closed the curtains.

Cale looked at the empty terrace and the drawn curtains before slowly turning back. "Raon."

"What is it, Human?"

"Tell the others."

Precious information had come into Cale's hands.

"Thoroughly search through the Alchemists' Bell Tower for two days. Gather as much evidence as possible. Tell them to find all of the emergency exits as well."

The plan was for them to attack the Roan Kingdom's southwest border in five days and for the Tower Master to return in four days.

"Three nights from today..." Accurately speaking, the night between the third day and the fourth day. "We will start our attack."

The plan manifested in his mind. 'I'll cause a big mess, let's see if I could drag you out.'

The first round was taking care of the Alchemists' Bell Tower and the Imperial Prince.

The second round would be taking care of black magic and the Tower Master who would arrive slightly too late.

It would be great if White Star came as well.

"Our goal for the first round is to attack the Alchemists' Bell Tower and to destroy the city walls while closing off all entrances to the Bell Tower other than the entrance to this underground area."

A rat in a jar. No, a rat who can only run away to hell underground.

"Meeeeeow." Rex let out a meow. A predator would be waiting for these escaping rats.

"Sir Rex."

"Yes, young master-nim."

"Did you gather the people I told you to gather last time? Can I meet them?"

They were people who shared Rex's pain and had worked with him in the past.

Rex thought about how Cale had told him to gather them together and nodded his head.

"Is there something for us to do?"

The strength of the Empire and black magic were both at levels beyond Rex's imagination.

He was worried about what his friends who were spread out throughout the Empire could do because he was the only one with strength. He then heard Cale's response.

There were two days left other than today.

"Of course. You guys need to do everything."

He needed to quickly start moving.

**************************************

Later that night.

There were people stealthily moving through the Empire's capital's slums.

There were small orbs in each of their arms. They were the video recording orbs.

These orbs were the ones with the recording that Cale's group had taken all day.

"I am putting my life on the line for this operation."

They were all thinking about how Rex, whose forehead injury had opened up again and was bleeding, told them about what to do without even wiping his blood away.

Rex's eyes had been completely bloodshot. The eyes of the people dispersing around the slums with the orbs in their arms were similarly bloodshot as well.

They had all been forced to send their siblings, families, and neighbors to the Alchemists' Bell Tower.

"Nothing can go wrong during this operation. I won't accept it."

Rex's pressing voice was almost branded into their minds.

There were soldiers and knights walking around the capital during the night.

However, there were not many knights or soldiers patrolling the slums.

This was because there were no lights or lamps in the dark slums, making them have no reason to patrol.

Knock knock knock. A person with an orb knocked on a door.

Others went into caves that were secretly built in the slums. Some of them ran to their families.

There were no lights in the dark slums.

However, during this night... The slums were covered with silent anger and cries.

The next day.

"Hello there."

The guard standing outside the Alchemists' Bell Tower looked toward the person who came up to the door with an odd expression. "What is it?"

He could see a man wearing shabby but clean clothes smiling at him.

The guard was concerned more about the bloodshot eyes than the respectful smile, but he motioned with his chin for the man to state his business.

The man bowed respectfully before starting to speak.

"I came to meet my older brother."

"Older brother? An alchemist?"

'His outfit looks too shabby to be the younger brother of an alchemist.'

The man smiled and responded back as the guard's expression revealed his suspicion. "Yes sir. My brother Honte went into the Alchemists' Bell Tower fifteen years ago."

Honte. That name made the guard's eyes start to shake.

The Alchemists' Bell Tower's Tower Master's disciple, Honte.

'...But he's dead?'

The guard watched the other guard urgently rush into the building before looking back at the man. He then got the chills after looking past that man's shoulders.

There were many people wearing clean but shabby clothes heading toward the Alchemists' Bell Tower. There were at least ten people. They ranged in ages as well.

They all smiled and started to speak.

"I wish to meet my younger sibling."

"I wish to meet my older sister."

"I wish to see my son and daughter. Is that allowed?"

Fifteen years ago. There were many people fifteen years ago who had come to see their children who were left with the Alchemists' Bell Tower.

They had always sent them back with excuses. They sent them back while saying things like 'are you really going to be the chains on your siblings or children's ankles and drag them down when they are finally living a better life?'

However, there had never been a time when so many of them had shown up at once.

'Well, I guess around ten isn't that many.' The guards looked past the people who were approaching the tower.

There were many citizens looking at the tower and whispering to each other. They were curious about what was going on.

That was why the guard was unable to see it. He couldn't see the bloodshot eyes or the puffy faces of the people who came to seek their family members, nor their tightly clenched fists that were contrary to their smiling faces.

Cale was watching this from far away.

– Human! Rosalyn says she'll be here soon! All of the Dark Elves are coming as well! Clopeh also said that the Holy Knights will be arriving soon as well!

Cale looked toward the Bell Tower that was the tallest building on the Western continent and started to speak. "It's finally starting."

There was only a day and a half left until the start of the battle.

***************************************

The second largest market in the capital located right next to the Alchemists' Bell Tower.

"What is going on?" A merchant who had opened his store later than usual and was currently setting up his fruits looked toward his neighboring merchant and asked.

"I don't really know either." The responding merchant shook his head. His gaze was headed toward the busier than usual entrance of the Alchemists' Bell Tower.

Someone interjected into their conversation at that moment.

"Y-You know, it's about that one thing."

"That one thing?"

"Yes, that thing!"

The innocent looking young man with a muscular body started to speak. "The Alchemists' Bell Tower took children from the slums fifteen years ago while saying that they'll give them jobs and turn them into alchemists."

"Ah, ah. I remember." The merchant recalled something from a long time ago.

Fifteen years. It was an extremely long time ago. At least it felt that way for the people currently standing outside the Bell Tower.

"The families of those children seem to be requesting the guards to let them see those children."

"Ah is that so? Have they not been able to see them this whole time?"

The merchant's eyes opened wide as he responded back about this fact that he did not know about.

The young man, Vice Captain Hilsman, licked his lips before continuing to speak in his uniquely friendly manner that made him a social butterfly. "Yes sir, that does seem to be the case. You know about Honte-nim, right? The Tower Master's disciple!"

"Of course I know. Who doesn't?! Honte-nim is from the slums. The Alchemists' Bell Tower is amazing and Honte-nim is amazing as well. That was a case of great results coming out from wonderful intentions."

"That is indeed the case." Vice Captain Hilsman slowly started to get to work. "But you see..."

The fact that the young man's expression turned serious made the merchant as well as people walking by all start to pay more attention to him.

"Even Honte-nim's family could only see him from afar and have never been allowed to meet with him."

"... Really? Why would they?"

The two merchants' expressions turned odd. "...I didn't know about that. I didn't know that that was the case."

Hilsman exaggeratedly nodded his head at the merchant's comment.

"Me neither! I didn't know about that either! Anyway, there is apparently a reason all of those people went to the Alchemists' Bell Tower to look for their family members right now."

"What is the reason?"

Hilsman flailed his arms around as he exaggerated on.

"You know how a lot of alchemists went to the battlefield in order to fight against the Whipper Kingdom? They were worried about their family members, so they went to meet with them."

"Ah."

The merchant nodded his head. He had wondered why they were all here, but that was an understandable reason.

"It makes sense to be worried after sending your family members to the battlefield. I'm sure it's been hard for them to sleep at night."

'Oops.' The merchant who had said that without thinking flinched and turned his head.

The merchant who was putting out his fruits did not have a good expression on his face. His younger brother was participating in the Whipper Kingdom war as a soldier.

"Ahem, hem. But we probably don't need to worry much about it! Our Empire will win!"

The merchant looked at his buddy and quickly added on, giving the chance for Hilsman who had been waiting for an opening to strike.

"Of course. Would the Imperial Prince allow the Empire's citizens to die terribly?"

"Of course not! That would never happen!"

Hilsman turned his gaze away from the merchant who was unintentionally playing along and looked around. He was not the only one acting like this right now.