༺ The Phantom of Griffin ༻
“Did you come to rescue your siblings, Margrave Norseweden?”
Darius was perplexed about what answer to give as a response to Archmage Ropelican’s question.
Should he uphold his principles, or should he weave in a lie within his excuse just to get by?
Though his heart leaned towards the latter, his mouth wouldn’t comply with his pride.
“Yes.”
Darius openly acknowledged his intention. After speaking, he somehow regretted his own foolishness. However, Ropelican seemed rather satisfied with this, chuckling with a wry smile.
“I like your confidence. You resemble your father, Damos, the Giant of the North.”
Ssrrrk.
As Ropelican lowered his staff, Darius coughed while slumping down from the wall with considerable difficulty.
Outside the wall, the trio were asking if he was okay, but it wasn’t a situation where he could respond.
“Are those your companions? That’s good, then. Let them in for now.”
“Pardon?”
Darius couldn’t comprehend the situation, but since he was prompted by Ropelican to act fast, he securely fixed the rope.
The trio swiftly crossed the wall.
“Huh?!”
“What’s this?”
“Did you betray us?!”
The bewildered trio immediately questioned Darius. However, they could only open and close their mouths like goldfish, unable to utter another word.
The Archmage had cast a spell to block their sounds, making their sudden attempt to shout at the unexpected situation seem like a kind of theatrical performance.
Ropelican gestured to Darius and the silenced trio, and said,
“Follow me. I’ll take you to them.”
* * *
King Orpheus still sat in the Royal Family’s secret chamber, flipping through the records.
Just like the flame on the candlestick placed beside him, his gloomy heart continuously hesitated and wavered intensely.
His bloodshot eyes and tear-streaked traces revealed a sense of fatigue as he turned the pages unfolding the Griffin Royal Family’s origin.
With each turn, his chest trembled; he was overwhelmed by guilt and disgust, almost provoking a feeling of nausea.
Despite taking a strong stance against inhumane acts in the Clark Republic, Orpheus found the authors of the records to be no different from a pot calling the kettle black, which was quite embarrassing.
Orpheus couldn’t help but be shocked by the fact that to prevent the revelation that the country founded by a dark mage, the Royal Family also aggressively suppressed fellow dark mages throughout their history.
These records were indeed an abyss of dark secrets.
Just when the King thought it couldn’t get any worse, after flipping through a few more pages, he was exposed to even more diabolical thoughts.
However, one thing strongly resonated throughout the pages—an obsession with being royalty.
Perhaps this obsession stemmed from their origin as dark mages, who were always disdained and looked down upon.
Or, maybe the bloodline might have carried an innate ambition and stubbornness for power and authority.
As time passed and the authors changed, the obsession continued to persist like a deep-seated delusion, portraying a strong dedication to upholding the Royal Family’s name.
It was like…
‘It was like Mother.’
The more he read, the more Orpheus recalled his mother’s excessive attachment to royalty.
Having been educated by Ropelican, he could resist being influenced by her. His sister, Eleanor, on the other hand, was severely tormented by their mother, Hylan.
Therefore, Orpheus and Eleanor both harbored a strong resistance towards formalities, despite being in the direct line of royalty.
“Huff.”
His eyes stung from fatigue. Even with the crushing weight of guilt, King Orpheus slowly returned to his original self.
Everything was confusing and disgusting, and he hated it to the point of anger.
“I cannot evade responsibility.”
In the end, all this responsibility was an unavoidable weight that the current Royal Family had to bear.
“I’m sorry, Deus.”
In a low tone, he apologized to Deus, whom he had imprisoned.
Despite knowing all these truths, Deus kept his lips sealed until Orpheus asked.
Deus kept silent; he did not let anything out, even when he held information that could destroy Griffin Kingdom.
At the time, the King arrested Deus immediately to prevent him from speaking to anyone. He did this to protect the Royal Family.
However, the more Orpheus pondered about it, the more Deus truly seemed like a loyal subject.
Orpheus slowly stood up.
Though it was late at night, he considered going now to release Deus from captivity. However…
Bang!
The door suddenly closed forcefully.
Despite there being no wind, the candlelight extinguished as if abruptly snuffed out.
“Hmm?”
Wondering what was happening, he manifested mana in his hand to illuminate the room.
[Foolish kid.]
A grim face emerged in the light.
Startled, King Orpheus took a step back without even being able to scream.
The grim face followed Orpheus as it was.
The horns, which were slightly growing on its forehead, made it look like an undeveloped demon. Its protruding teeth and mist-like body intensified the eerie aura.
[Do you know how long I’ve spent to build this dynasty? But you, you try to bring it down in just one day?]
“W-what are you!”
He desperately swung at the face, but it passed through without any resistance.
The grim face with a demon-like image opened its mouth. However, contrary to its size, it spoke in a low whispering voice that made it feel like dozens of bugs entered through the King’s ear.
[I am the owner of this land.]
“…What?”
The previously chilling voice changed tone as it conveyed the secret. It now took on the high-pitched and temperamental tone of a woman.
Not only that.
The grim face gradually morphed into someone Orpheus was familiar with.
“Mo-ther?”
Now resembling Hylan Luden Griffin, the face chuckled.
[I am your mother.]
It changed once more, adopting the imposing features of someone he idolized, along with the deep-set wrinkles he always remembered.
[Your father.]
The face shifted again.
This time, it assumed the presence of someone deeply etched in his memory.
[Your great-grandfather.]
Then, it reverted to its original grim face. And there, it declared naturally,
[I embody centuries of history; I am Griffin itself.]
“You…!”
It looked as if a centuries-old record was written by a single person.
It personified the mad obsession with being a part of the royal family.
King Orpheus could immediately recognize it.
This existence was also the source of all evils, the Griffin family’s ancestor who harbored diabolical thoughts.
[Now, then.]
Squeeelch.
The big mouth opened wide.
Hideous teeth and a thick, probing tongue lashed out towards Orpheus.
[It is your turn.]
“…!”
There was no way to resist it.
Orpheus was caught and devoured. He struggled and convulsed several times, but soon, black smoke emanated from his whole body, and he regained composure.
Then, he suddenly stood up, cracked his neck, smiled, and said,
“Where did this phantom come from?”
[…!]
And there, observing the unfolding situation was her. The Dark Spiritualist. He addressed such a figure, who, in a unique twist, found herself following her apprentice’s orders.
“The Royal Palace is not a place for vermin-like evil spirits like you to wander.”
When Orpheus reached out, a fierce mana surged, trying to subdue the Dark Spiritualist.
[Ver-vermin?!]
The Dark Spiritualist, now able to control her mana with the help of Deus, barely defended herself and escaped through the wall.
“Tch.”
Her resistance was stronger than he expected, but it didn’t matter.
Since she was already dead, returning to her master would yield the same result anyway.
Kwang!
“Phew!”
After opening the door and stepping outside, Orpheus took a deep breath. It didn’t matter how many times he’d done this, the feeling of being alive felt good.
Taking a big stride to the left of the corridor, Orpheus came out to the garden outside the Royal Palace.
The soldiers who saw him immediately saluted. However…
“Inform the Royal Knight Commander, Mage Tribunal Judge, and the Archmage to enter the palace immediately.”
Orpheus said with a big smile.
“Tell them to carry out the execution of the criminal who insulted the Royal Family.”
* * *
“Wow, it’s so cold that I thought I was going to die.”
Shivering from the chilling temperature, Deia expressed joy when her clothes finally arrived.
Although I had already lent her my jacket, she was still cold since she was dressed in pajamas.
“Look away.”
The Scrapyard Nomad trio kept staring at Deia, who was attempting to change her clothes. As soon as I warned them, they yelped and lowered their heads.
Who were they audaciously staring at?
“Pfft.”
Deia glanced at me and slightly chuckled as if she was in a good mood. She then headed towards a corner of the prison.
“They still can see me like this, you know? Cover me a bit.”
After pulling me along and hiding behind me, Deia began to remove her pajamas. It was an unexpected situation, but to shield my sister’s bare body, I did my utmost to broaden my shoulders. I maintained a stern expression as I stared at the Archmage, Darius, and the Scrapyard Nomads who had come to rescue us.
“I have clearly mentioned that I would consider it carefully.”
Since King Orpheus hadn’t made his decision, I had no plans to escape recklessly and make a fuss by myself.
Ropelican avoided my gaze and refused to respond when I frowned and said this.
While I appreciated that Darius came here to rescue Deia and me, he just watched the situation unfold oddly without doing anything.
When I was about to speak, Deia’s bare leg popped out from the side. She stood with one leg in her pants, leaning her back against me.
“Have a sense of shame.”
I suddenly directed the words I had intended to say to Darius and Ropelican towards Deia.
“Huh? That’s probably not something you should say.”
“….”
“Try living with two men who don’t act like your older brothers at all. They’re all the same.”
After saying something like that, she immediately shut her mouth. That’s because, right now, only Deia knew that I was not the real Deus.
I would someday have to tell Darius but now was not the right time.
Anyway, after completely putting on her clothes, Deia came out from behind me. Seeing the magic gun hanging from her leather belt, it seemed she really risked her life entering Graypond.
I was about to say that everyone should return first and we should continue waiting. However…
[B-big trouble!]
The Dark Spiritualist shouted as she came through the wall, making a fuss. I had entrusted her to keep an eye on King Orpheus.
However, since she came out like this, I wondered if the King made a negative decision.
However, the response was beyond my imagination.
An evil spirit lurked deep within Griffin Kingdom, possessing the bodies of past kings. Now, it had taken over Orpheus’s body.
It was so absurd, to the point of being unbelievable.
‘There is such a hidden twist like this?‘
There was no such content in [Retry]. However, upon a little reflection, it seemed more appropriate to say that it was simply unknown.
‘Because there was no dark mage in the party.’
The Saintess, too, had temporarily joined the party, but she was not a party member when they were working in Graypond.
“Tsk, did we just waste our efforts?”
The others who couldn’t hear the Dark Spiritualist’s voice were looking at me with strange expressions.
Darius had an uncomfortable expression, asking if we should go back, and Ropelican was still awkwardly avoiding eye contact.
“No.”
I put on the jacket that Deia handed me and stepped outside the bars.
“The situation has changed.”
A thunderous sound of approaching footsteps came from outside.
Knights in red armor lined up and entered the prison.
They were surprised to see Ropelican here.
Soon, a woman with an imposing presence walked forward, straightening out the mess.
Despite being the smallest among the armored knights, she stood at the pinnacle of the Royal Knights, which directly served the Royal Family.
She was Gloria Grace, the Royal Knight Commander.
She was the sharpest sword in the Kingdom, even being able to match the prowess of Mage Tribunal Judge Tyren Ol Velocus.
With her red hair fluttering, she sharply stared at me and asked,
“Deus Verdi, the wicked dark mage, a sinner who has insulted the Royal Family. His Majesty has ordered your immediate execution by the Royal Knights.”
“…How efficient.”
As I responded with honest sarcasm, Gloria’s eyes slightly flickered.
“There is no trial held for someone claiming to be a dark mage. One cannot expect a fair judgment.”
How was this different from the witch trials during medieval times?
“Well, it doesn’t matter.”
Right, it didn’t matter at all.
“When you approach me this unreasonably, I’ll respond with an equal force of unreasonableness.”
I wouldn’t stop at all. Deia and Darius, too, followed behind and prepared for battle.
I quickly realized that if we didn’t fight, everyone would die anyway.
“Do you think you can escape?”
With a disbelieving expression, Gloria drew her sword. In response, the Royal Knights also drew their swords, as if choreographed.
Swinging those swords in such a narrow passage didn’t seem easy.
Yet, it wouldn’t be a problem for them, as they were skilled knights.
However, there was something I needed to clarify.
“I’m not running away.”
At some point, the Lemegeton brought by the Dark Spiritualist emitted a subtle black glow in my palm.
Like a magician performing card tricks in front of his audience, I skillfully did it in the blink of an eye.
I could feel the evil spirits wailing, echoing like reverberations from all around me.
“You’re not running away?”
As if she considered my words an insult, Gloria gritted her teeth, gripping the sword with both hands and preparing herself.
“I just—”
However, I once again clarified.
“I just want an audience with His Majesty.”
