***

    “Earlier, you were eating that meat pie quite seriously, weren’t you?”

    Ganien whispered to Ruel.

    “I was having some unpleasant thoughts.”

    “Still unsure about things?”

    “Yeah.”

    “Then that must be your battlefield over there.”

    Ganien pointed to a large door they were about to reach.

    A grand welcoming ceremony awaited Ruel.

    As always, he didn’t feel nervous.

    He was used to stepping into the lion’s den.

    Ruel replied flatly, “Yeah.”

    “You still have time, so why not meet Fran before going in?”

    Cassion suggested, taking a last look at Ruel’s condition.

    “After this is over. I don’t want to hear unnecessary nonsense.”

    Most of the nobles knew he was ill, but he didn’t want to make a scene.

    Further investigation confirmed that Kran had been eaten by the Red Ash more severely than Leponia.

    He couldn’t let his guard down.

    He mustn’t give them any openings.

    “Cassion.”

    “Yes?”

    “Send my regards to His Highness Banios. And...”

    Ruel paused and glanced at Ganien.

    Huswen also needed to be informed of this.

    Ganien nodded in response, being mindful of the nobles gathering one by one.

    “Aris.”

    At Ruel’s call, Aris was the first to speak.

    “I’m still nervous this time. But there’s nothing I can’t do.”

    Satisfied with Aris’s resolute response, Ruel smiled.

    “Let’s go.”

    To his battlefield.

    “Announcing the entry of Sir Aris, the Magic Swordsman from the Kingdom of Leponia, and Lord Ruel Setiria, the noble of darkness!”

    As always, it was an awful sound that made Ruel’s senses sharpen.

    Ttak. Ttak.

    The sound of the cane rang cheerfully.

    The gazes upon him stung more than ever.

    Some were openly showing malice, and Ruel smiled pleasantly in response.

    Eyes up.

    Back straight.

    Walk confidently.

    Who wouldn’t know that he was Ruel Setiria?

    “You seem to be enjoying yourself,” Aris whispered, walking just behind Ruel.

    —Indeed! Ruel was truly enjoying himself.

    Leo wagged his tail and smiled brightly.

    “It’s fun, isn’t it?”

    Ruel genuinely found it amusing.

    “Hilim Tonisk confirmed that his younger sibling is a devotee of darkness.”

    Ruel recalled what Cassion had mentioned before bed last night.

    Glen Syria had not lied.

    What he said was true.

    To become the vessel of the Great Man, the condition was they had to be the ‘Devotee of Darkness.’

    —What could possibly be so fun? Tell this body!

    Leo joyfully wiggled his feet.

    Ruel inhaled Breath and glanced around.

    Almost half of the nobles were part of Red Ash.

    If he just reached out his hand, he could be killed right there.

    How regrettable it must be that they could not kill him despite that.

    Ever since entering the palace, he hadn’t seen even a strand of hair from the enemy, let alone any attacks.

    The death they had gathered to claim his body had vanished, so until they collected it again, it would be quite troublesome if he accidentally died.

    ‘While they’re gathering death, I am practically invulnerable—how could I not enjoy that?’

    The situation had completely reversed compared to before.

    Feeling the long-lost tranquility made him smile involuntarily.

    Ruel walked to the closest position to the king and took a seat.

    “I’ll tell you later,” Ruel whispered softly while petting Leo.

    Even with nobles pointing fingers at him and whispering since the king had not yet arrived, it was amusing.

    He was allowed to do so.

    Wasn’t he in that position?

    Ruel waited for the king and the prince and princess to enter.

    —This is strange. Why is there no food?

    Leo looked around eagerly, but all he could see were chairs placed toward the throne, causing his tail to droop in disappointment.

    Each country had different protocols, so Ruel shrugged his shoulders.

    It was just a ceremonious gathering by name, and he hoped it would be quick with just some polite greetings.

    What good was it to have delicious food if it was just a distant fantasy for him?

    ‘Damn, allergies.’

    “I’m sorry, but please step back.”

    In a brief moment, nobles swarmed towards Ruel.

    They vied to introduce themselves, trying to build connections with Ruel, but Aris stepped in assertively to block them.

    Still, those trying to break through suddenly hurried back to their original places.

    It was because of the loud announcement from the attendant.

    “His Majesty, the most esteemed and the greatest, His Highness Trown Kran, enters—blessed by Hela!”

    The king entered with a bored expression.

    He didn’t appear as rigid as Huswen or as wise with age as Brans.

    He seemed like merely a dead shell.

    The king walked toward the throne without even casting a glance at Ruel.

    ‘...?’

    In that brief moment when the king brushed past him, Ruel felt a familiar sensation.

    Like being caught in a spider’s web.

    Though not as clear as the sensation with Treitol, it was undoubtedly that feeling.

    ‘What the...’

    Ruel tightly gripped his cane.

    “Ruel-nim, His Highness Adea Kran has arrived.”

    At Aris’s words, Ruel smiled and grasped the cane that lay beside him.

    With the sound of footsteps, a rather large man walked over.

    This was Adea Kran.

    “I greet the Little Sun. I am Ruel Setiria.”

    “Apologies for interrupting your rest.”

    “It’s fine. I apologize for not coming out to greet Your Highness.”

    “Please, sit.”

    Adea naturally offered a seat.

    Could he take the initiative in the conversation?

    “It seems Your Highness has something urgent to discuss with me.”

    Ruel comfortably sat down and opened his mouth.

    “If you had no purpose, you wouldn’t have come to see me, would you?”

    Adea lightly chuckled and sat down.

    Whether he was testing Ruel or was just inherently arrogant, Ruel responded with a sly grin.

    “That is incorrect, Your Highness.”

    “Incorrect?”

    “Yes. I am different from those outside.”

    “Isn’t that an incredibly arrogant statement?”

    “It’s not arrogance; it’s the truth. I am someone with quite a bit of influence, enough that even Your Highness cannot disregard me. So saying I wouldn’t have come to see you if I had no purpose is rather ridiculous, don’t you think?”

    “Haha!”

    Adea laughed loudly.

    As expected, he was testing him.

    “I apologize. I take back my earlier statement. Will you accept my apology?”

    “I’ll consider it a pleasant first meeting.”

    Ruel responded with an innocent smile.

    Adea glanced outside and lowered his voice a notch.

    “Do you understand why I have come to find you?”

    “Is it not for a deal?”

    The reason for Adea’s visit was clear.

    He must have heard his story through Medeas Tehel.

    To deal with the Red Ash, which had nearly taken over the country, he needed someone with prior experience— someone like him.

    Even if he was a Great Man, approaching him in this way was appropriate.

    Adea was publicly known as a prince who ardently worked for the nation.

    ‘Gotta stick to the concept, right?’

    Adea smiled contentedly.

    “Correct. Just as you expected, I have come to negotiate with you.”

    “I hope it’s a deal that will benefit me.”

    Fed up with the typical roundabout speech of nobles and royalty, Ruel decided to cut to the chase.

    Adea smiled and pulled the paper from his pocket.

    He could see mana swirling around the paper.

    “We’re meeting for the first time today. Hela says trust must be given first.”

    When Ruel silently stared at him, Adea shook the paper.

    “Thus, I have prepared my magical contract.”

    ‘He even brought a magical contract?’

    Adea lowered the contract and spoke seriously.

    “I have been waiting for you to come to the Kran Kingdom.”

    “Why were you waiting for me?”

    “Because you are the one most deeply involved in the current situation.”

    Adea flipped the paper around to show Ruel.

    [I, Adea Kran, am neither the Great Man or part of the Red Ash. I swear to be true to Ruel Setiria until the end of the Red Ash.]

    After reading the words written on the paper, Ruel remained silent.

    His questions were still unresolved.

    ‘What about Medeas Tehel?’

    Without hesitation, Adea signed the contract in front of Ruel.

    As the color of the paper turned blue, Adea handed it over to Ruel.

    “This is the utmost trust I can show you right now.”

    “Are you saying you are not part of the Red Ash?”

    “As you know, a magical contract is absolute, unlike a mana oath.”

    Ruel accepted the paper and stared intently at the text.

    It was clear to anyone that the contract had been properly executed.

    He inhaled Breath and slightly closed his eyes.

    A magical contract was indeed absolute.

    Adea had not even filled in a term for the first condition.

    This meant he had satisfied the requirements in the past and must uphold this treaty in the future.

    Could it truly be that Adea was not the Great Man?

    “What is it that you desire from me?” Ruel finally spoke.

    After all, the stage for conversation had been set.

    It would not be courteous to remain silent.

    “I have heard that you dealt with the Red Ash in Leponia and Cyronian.”

    “I merely laid the table; I don’t deserve such high praise.”

    “I am aware you were at the center of it all.”

    “Did you learn this from Medeas Tehel, a member of the Red Ash, or is it information you acquired on your own?”

    For a moment, Adea was at a loss for words.

    He blinked rapidly before finally responding.

    “How do you know Medeas Tehel?”

    “Before that, I have something I’d like to check.”

    Ruel extended his hand.

    “You want to... shake hands?”

    “Yes. I am requesting a handshake.”

    Just because the magical contract seemed flawless didn’t mean he could relax.

    If the Great Man were Adea Kran, then his body was merely that of Adea Kran, but being the Great Man was not inherently tied to Adea Kran.

    There was always a possibility of deception, so he had to check and double-check carefully.

    A handshake.

    This was the best way to confirm the truth at this moment.

    ‘Back then, after shaking hands with Treitol, I definitely felt it.’

    A sensation of being caught in a spider’s web.

    Although it was still uncertain, he thought it might be a feeling associated with being the Great Man or someone connected to the Great Man.

    Could he feel that with Adea as well?

    Reluctantly, Adea took Ruel’s hand.