Late at Night
A smile lingered on Isaac's face.
"Really, this is insane."
He and Kane moved cautiously as if they were stray cats.
"Can you really bring down Dyer? They've been on the rise lately."
"I plan to use everything at my disposal to bring them down."
"I want to help you, but you said no~"
"I don't need it. Just grant permission to establish Belmore Military Academy."
"If the Belmore Military Academy is re-established in Rehinar, commerce will certainly flourish. But that alone won't bring down Dyer."
Kane smirked at Isaac's reaction.
"The Belmore Military Academy is just a reward for bringing down Dyer. I didn't say I would use it to topple them."
"Stop being cryptic and explain properly, will you?"
"You'll know in due time how I bring down Dyer."
As the two conversed, they reached the emperor's bedchamber.
The Imperial Guard protecting Emperor Fresia blocked their way.
The Imperial Guard, in contrast to the Black heaven Guard, was dressed in golden armor.
"Forgive me, the Emperor will not be seeing anyone for the time being."
"I'm sorry, but my matter is urgent."
Isaac showed a seal to the Imperial Guard.
It was the crown prince's seal, granting him authority to act without the emperor's approval in times of danger to the empire.
The guard stepped aside.
"Let's go."
Kane followed Isaac into the emperor's bedchamber.
A grand and majestic door opened.
"Who… is it?" the emperor coughed repeatedly.
He struggled to sit up.
"Your Majesty, it is Isaac."
"The crown prince… What brings you here?" he asked, coughing.
"I have brought the successor of the Guardian Lord."
"The son of Sir Carl is here?"
The emperor, who seemed on the brink of death, straightened up.
He looked at Kane, standing next to Isaac.
"Are you Sir Carl's son?"
"Kane Rehinar, eldest son of Rehinar, greets Your Majesty."
Kane knelt on one knee, placing a fist on his chest and bowing his head.
"You are different from the rumors."
Isaac chimed in agreement.
"I was surprised as well when I met him."
"I remember what Sir Carl said. In a moment of crisis, his son would come… and it's true."
Kane didn't miss the emperor's muttering.
"What do you mean by that?"
For the first time since his return, Kane heard something he couldn't understand. Could this be part of a side story?
"Sir Carl said you would cure my illness… cough cough."
"Your Majesty! Are you alright?"
Isaac hurriedly approached the emperor in concern.
"Don't worry. I won't die easily," the emperor said, still holding himself upright, blocking Isaac's approach.
The coughing continued.
Blood was mixed in his cough.
"Since you came here with the crown prince, you must be here to cure my illness. You may begin."
Kane was taken aback.
He had planned to convince the emperor that he could detoxify the mana crystal herb.
But there was no need.
For some reason, the emperor already seemed to know and was ready to trust him.
Seeing Kane's expression, the emperor added,
"Aren't you the heir of the Rehinar family? In the Fresia Empire, your lineage is second only to the royal family… who else but you would I trust with my body?"
The emperor had immense faith in Rehinar.
"Focus solely on the treatment."
The emperor closed his eyes.
—
After a moment of surprise at the emperor's attitude, Kane went to the emperor's side to begin the treatment.
[Leonard von Fresia]
– Rank: ★★★★★
– Age: 50
– Occupation: Emperor of the Fresia Empire
– Mana Affinity: Moon Oath [4 Runes]
– Favorability: 5
Basic Abilities
– Health: SR- -> (C-)
– Mana: SR+ -> (D-)
– Body: SR- -> (E+)
– Strength: SR -> (D-)
– Agility: SR -> (E+)
Attributes: Master of the Moon (SR-), Emperor of the Fresia Empire (SSR), Star of the Monarch (SR-)
Skills: Breath of the Moon (SR), Sun-Moon Swordsmanship (SR)
Special Notes: Affected by the Formlessness Poison, Mana Hemorrhage ↑
The emperor's abilities, at the level of a Beginner-tier 8th-class, were severely nerfed.
The poison from the mana crystal herb was that lethal. Any delay could have been fatal.
"I need to mention something before we start," Isaac spoke on behalf of the emperor.
"Is there anything I should know?"
"When the Formlessness Poison is treated, His Majesty will fall into a comatose state. It could last from six months to a year or two."
"Hmm…"
Isaac hesitated to respond.
"He may wake up briefly during that time, so there's no need to worry."
"It's not for me to decide."
Isaac waited for the emperor's voice.
The emperor briefly answered,
"Begin."
"Then let's begin."
Kane placed his hand on the emperor's chest, over his mana heart.
'This is my opportunity.'
When treating Duke Carl, he needed an antidote.
But now, it wasn't necessary.
He had advanced to a Blood Knight.
He could extract the poison using Blood Void.
Not only could he remove it, but he could also absorb its power.
'I'll obtain the Five Element Blood Extreme Physique here.'
This body could only be acquired by completing the Blood Knight job quest.
Though it typically required a pre-requisite quest, Kane chose a shortcut.
By absorbing the poison hidden within the emperor's mana, he could grow stronger.
It was extremely risky, but success would yield immense rewards.
[Blood Tiger's Breath has been activated(S)]
[Blood Phoenix's Breath has been activated(S)]
[Using both breathing techniques simultaneously.]
[Mana consumption is doubled.]
Three Runes appeared in Kane's eyes.
[Blood Bond (3 Runes) has manifested.]
An explosive power emanated from his body.
Isaac, observing from below the bedchamber, created a mana barrier.
The transparent Moonlight Barrier easily deflected Kane's energy.
"Whoa, that's quite the power."
The storm affected everything but Isaac.
The chamber trembled with a purple haze.
On the right, water droplets danced.
On the left, flames flickered.
Seeing this, Isaac shouted,
"Dual Runes!? What kind of madman is he!?"
Isaac couldn't continue speaking.
Kane's mana was so fierce that even with his 7th-class skills, he couldn't withstand it barehanded.
It felt like he was facing the combined powers of the emperor and the Guardian.
Isaac was utterly bewildered.
"…This is humiliating."
He hadn't expected to reveal his true power against a 4th-class knight's mana.
"What kind of guy is he?"
Isaac recalled the emperor's constant advice.
Never to turn the Rehinar family into enemies, no matter what.
He hadn't understood it before, but seeing Kane, he now grasped it a bit.
Only after revealing his true power did the storm in the chamber bypass Isaac.
"He seems to possess a unique Rune. I'll have to ask about it after the treatment."
Isaac had no idea Kane wielded a Blood Rune.
Blood Knights were a forgotten existence.
A relic of the past.
* * *
[Trait 'Concentration' has risen to S grade.]
[Trait 'Endurance' has risen to S grade.]
Meanwhile, sweat was beading on Kane's forehead.
Despite the effort, a smile spread across his face.
'I've succeeded in separating the poison from the mana crystal herb from the blood.'
However, the poison was persistent.
It clung to the mana, refusing to let go.
'I'll absorb it as it is.'
Kane used the mana drain skill unique to Blood Knights.
[Draining opponent's mana.]
[Warning! Favorability with the opponent may decrease.]
[Warning! You may become hostile to the opponent.]
[Warning! Your reputation may decrease.]
Numerous warnings appeared, but Kane ignored them and continued draining mana.
[You have absorbed the opponent's mana.]
[Warning! Extreme poison detected in the opponent's mana.]
[Warning! Purify the contaminated mana.]
[Blood Phoenix's Breath] drained the mana.
[Blood Tiger Breath] purified the drained mana.
[Mana increased.]
[Mana increased.]
[Mana increased.]
He repeated the cycle of draining and purifying.
He was now reaching saturation.
[Warning! Mana capacity limit reached.]
The Blood Rune had a mana capacity two to three times larger than other Runes.
Yet even it couldn't accommodate more.
It wasn't just the mana but also the extreme poison from the mana crystal herb.
At this rate, his body might not withstand it and could explode.
'I won't die from this.'
The messages warned him of reaching his limit, but Kane didn't care.
He drained and purified mana even faster.
His face looked like it was about to burst.
5 minutes…
20 minutes…
An hour passed.
[Achievement unlocked.]
[Completed the unaccepted quest 'Overwhelming Mana'.]
[Completed the unaccepted prerequisite quest 'Path of Blood'.]
[Reward: Acquired 'Five Element Blood Extreme Physique'.]
[All abilities except constitution have risen by one rank.]
[Constitution has risen from S to SSR.]
[Trait 'Timidity' deleted.]
[Trait 'Fragility' deleted.]
[Trait 'Kindness' deleted.]
"…It's done!"
Kane had achieved what he set out to do, feeling the surge of newfound power.
Kane collapsed onto the floor.
His face was pale, and his entire body was drenched in sweat.
Beneath Kane and the emperor was a pool of black liquid.
The stench was overwhelming.
It was the waste expelled from both their bodies.
Isaac, who had been watching from behind, rushed forward.
"The treatment?"
"It was successful. Haah. Verify it for yourself."
Isaac placed his hand over the emperor's heart.
"There's no poison at all!"
He couldn't believe it.
He kept searching the emperor's body for any traces of poison.
But something strange caught his attention.
"I can still sense the presence of extreme poison somewhere."
Isaac turned his head.
The source of the extreme poison was Kane.
"No way?"
"I absorbed the poison."
"You…"
Isaac was at a loss for words.
He thought Kane had sacrificed himself for the emperor.
His eyes were filled with sorrow.
"How am I supposed to face the Guardian lord?"
"Why the sad eyes for someone you've just met? Besides, I'm not going to die."
Isaac quickly responded to Kane's blunt tone.
"Are you saying you can survive harboring that extreme poison?"
"Would I have absorbed the poison if it were going to kill me?"
His words were irreverent, but Isaac didn't mind.
"…It's because of your special Rune!"
"Let's go with that."
"Thank you! I don't know how to repay this debt."
"Keep your promise."
"Of course. I'll push the re-inauguration of the Belmore Military Academy."
"Thank you. I need to rest now. I can barely stand."
"I'll escort you."
"No need. The emperor will awaken soon and then enter a comatose state. Take this brief time to talk with him."
Isaac was deeply moved by Kane's consideration.
Whoever had called this man a dullard needed their mouth shut.
He felt like rounding up and executing those who spread such false rumors.
"I owe you."
"Don't forget it."
"I won't."
Kane quietly exited the chamber.
The commander of the Imperial Guard escorted him out of the palace.
Meanwhile, the emperor regained consciousness.
"Ugh…."
"Your Majesty, are you awake?"
"Kane, was it? Where is that child?"
"He was exhausted and left."
"As Lord Carl said, he truly cured my illness."
"He is an extraordinary talent."
The emperor agreed.
His illness had been resistant to any medicine.
Yet Kane had cured it at first sight.
Even if he was Duke Carl's heir.
The young boy, a 4th Class knight achieved what even the High Priest couldn't—detoxifying the Emperor.
"I owe my life to that child. Grant him access to the Imperial Archives."
"To what extent should his access be allowed?"
"Permit him full access."
"Even to the mythic grade records?"
"Isn't my life worth that much?"
"At first light tomorrow, I will bring him to the Imperial Archives."
The Emperor summoned the Captain of the Black Heaven Guard to grant full authority to the Crown Prince.
"Grisente."
"At your command, Your Majesty."
The Captain of the Black Heaven Guard appeared beside the Emperor and bowed deeply.
"While I am asleep, follow Isaac's orders."
"I will obey Your Majesty's command."
"…Sleep is overtaking me."
Isaac gently lifted the Emperor. Normally, it was forbidden to touch the royal body, but there was no choice if he was to be placed in his bedchamber.
The Black Heaven Guard swiftly changed the bedding. Isaac then carefully laid the Emperor on the bed.
"Rest well. I will take care of things in the meantime."
"I trust… you…"
The Emperor soon fell into a comatose state.
"Black Heaven Guard and Imperial Guard, heed my words."
The ones filling the expansive bedchamber bowed their heads. Isaac issued his command to them.
"Do not allow anyone into the bedchamber without my permission. This includes members of the royal family."
"Yes, Your Highness!"