NOVEL WEB Chapter 192: Prince of Ruin, Kran (2)
Chapter 192: Prince of Ruin, Kran (2)
“What is this?” Kran asked in confusion as he looked at the letter.
Lucion wouldn’t have written a letter to him.
“A letter with contents about someone behind the scenes putting the pressure on you to live as a slave for 10 years.”
The more Lucion spoke, the angrier Kran’s face became.
“Wh…Where did you find this?” Kran asked, his voice trembling.
“Do you remember that old mansion where people were kidnapped?”
At the mention of the mansion, Kran’s eyes turned fiercely intense, revealing a hint of madness within his gaze.
Hume flinched, and Ratta quietly slid down from the table and snuggled up next to Lucion.
“Why… why did you hide this from me?” Kran’s voice was filled with resentment.
Lucion admitted, “I hesitated about whether to give this to you or not.”“It’s my decision whether the letter is fake or not!”
“I know,” Lucion replied.
“Then you should have…given it to me.”
“I weighed you against the organization, and I hid it because I wanted you not to waver. I made the decision on my own and deceived you. I’m sincerely sorry for that.”
Lucion stood up and bowed to Kran, offering no excuses for his actions.
Kran, feeling ashamed of his own angry outburst.
Kran realized that Lucion’s concern for him was genuine, regardless of the letter’s contents.
He questioned his own judgment and why he had directed his anger towards Lucion.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Hamel. Please, raise your head. I was wrong.”
Kran stood up and grabbed Lucion’s shoulder.
Realizing that he had been too harsh, Kran felt even more ashamed of himself.
He should have acted like an adult.
Would Lucion have concealed the letter if Kran had told him he was the prince of the ruined kingdom?
No, he wouldn’t.
Lucion would have surely given it to him.
“I, too, am unworthy of your honor, Hamel. It’s my fault for not telling you anything.”
Lucion finally raised his head, appreciating Kran’s apology. “Thank you, Kran,” he said.
Feeling a deep sense of remorse, Kran bowed his head in response, realizing that he had acted
childishly and unfairly towards Lucion.
“I apologize for my behavior. Please, have a seat. I don’t want you to strain yourself.”
“I’m okay with this much.”
Hume looked like he had a lot to say at Lucion’s words, but he kept his mouth shut.
He couldn’t intervene right now.
“I have no idea what the letter contains. But I guess you hid the letter because I didn’t say who I am. Surely, it contains unbelievable contents.”
―No. Lucion already knows who Kran is! Lucion is smart like Ratta!
Ratta leaned over the table again and looked at Kran.
‘I feel a bit uneasy… ?’
Lucion stopped short of petting Ratta. It was a compliment, but it didn’t feel like a compliment.
[I’m glad Kran misunderstood. It’s surprising that Kran, of all people, vented his frustration at Lord Lucion.] Bethel said, surprised.
[I’m surprised too. I mean it’s Kran instead of someone else. It’s as if Hume threw down his handkerchief and declared, “I’m done with being a butler.”]
Russell nodded in agreement.
Hume looked at Russell in surprise. It seemed like he was saying with his eyes that he would never dismiss a butler.
“I…”
Kran took a deep breath before speaking.
“I was the prince of the now-vanished Kingdom of Keortia.”
“…?”
Lucion feigned surprise, playing along with Kran’s misunderstanding.
Kran carefully chose his words as he continued, “I understand that it’s difficult to believe. Unfortunately, I have no way to prove it. The slave trader took away the little evidence I had, and Keortia is no more.”
Kran’s hand clenched tightly on the table, trembling uncontrollably.
“Keortia was a small country surrounded by forests and mountains between the rocky region that the empire called Beyond the Frontier and the Kingdom of Neubra. Everyone has probably forgotten that such a country ever existed.”
Lucion, too, had no knowledge of Keortia and later searched for information, finding none.
He wondered how such a small country could be forgotten so quickly.
Kran’s eyes filled with nostalgia as he continued, “But I have never forgotten why my country is gone. I will never forget the slave trader who murdered my subjects and sold me off.”
Kran’s face, which had been trying to remain calm, distorted.
“I’ve heard rumors as well. The country vanished suddenly. Some say it was the work of a warlock, but what is the truth?”
Lucion refrained from offering immediate comfort, realizing he couldn’t fully comprehend the depth of Kran’s loss.
“I actually wanted to ask Hamel. It’s a question I’ve been holding back, so please don’t misunderstand,” Kran requested.
“Go ahead.”
“Is black magic powerful enough to make an entire country disappear instantly?”
“You mean… the entire country vanished?”
“Yes. I witnessed it on my way back to the kingdom after a diplomatic mission with the Empire. It was just… gone, the entire country.”
Lucion didn’t doubt Kran’s words or consider them a lie. In fact, he was intrigued and wanted to learn more.
[Is it possible?] Bethel urged Russell.
[Theoretically, if there’s a monumental price to pay, it could be possible. However, it’s unfathomable to create a price of such magnitude. It’s like erasing existence itself. To achieve that, one would have to sacrifice not only the entire kingdom, but also all the people of the country.]
“It’s impossible,” Lucion stated firmly.
He couldn’t fathom anyone paying such an unimaginable price.
He briefly thought of the King of Darkness, but other countries, including the current empire, still stood strong.
Even the Sea of Death, revealed to be corrupted by darkness, remained unaffected.
There was no need to delve further into the matter; it was simply impossible.
Kran responded with a defeated tone, “I… Is that so?” It seemed as if his last glimmer of hope had faded.
“In that case, could you provide more details about how the disappearance occurred? Tell me what happened.”
“I have nothing else to add. Keortia vanished, and I was taken as a slave without any proper investigation.” Kran explained.
“How long after the disappearance did the attack happen?”
“It was about 3-4 days later.”
“Read it first.”
Lucion flicked the letter open with his fingertips.
The letter said:
[Watching is no longer necessary. Pay me 100,000 dels and let him go. 10 years is a long time. Over the years, I have observed that he is truly incapable of rebuilding his kingdom, incapable of revealing the truth. He is truly incompetent beyond measure.]
According to Kran’s words and what was written in the letter, it seems that turning Kran into a slave was planned and that they knew that Keortia would disappear.
‘Really?’
Lucion couldn’t believe it even though he thought about it.
[Something is off about this situation.] Russell smoothed his chin.
[To be attacked after three or four days suggests that someone was already observing and monitoring the Kingdom of Keortia. However, Keortia wasn’t a kingdom that garnered such attention in the past.]
Bethel spoke from a knight’s perspective.
Keortia is a kingdom not worth raiding.
Lucion listened to the opinions of the two while waiting for Kran to finish reading the letter.
[I think the man who attacked Lucion might be the culprit.] Bethel suggested, observing Lucion’s expression and cautiously mentioning the culprit.
[I’d have an answer for you if I’d seen him, but since I didn’t, it’s hard to guess.]
Russell frowned, then looked at Lucion.
It was as if he were asking, “How was it?
Lucion had witnessed the man’s power, but he hadn’t determined if the man possessed the ability to stop time or if time had stopped because he had stepped through the door.
‘Why would someone make the Keortia Kingdom disappear? If there was a price to pay, it might be possible, but why?’
Lucion was about to wonder why this inexplicable behavior was happening when he felt an overwhelming sense of wrath in front of him.
―No. Stay still and be quiet!
Ratta suppressed Lucion’s agitated darkness.
“Hamel,” Kran called out to Lucion, trying to calm his anger.
However, Kran’s voice was accompanied by heavy breathing, and his eyes were bloodshot.
It was only natural.
It wasn’t just time that Kran lost.
His anger was justified.
“This letter… This letter you found at the mansion where people were kidnapped, right?”
“Right.”
“Who is it? Please tell me who it is that led you there, Hamel!”
“Chayton.”
“Chayton?”
Kran looked at Lucion, his expression filled with confusion, showing that he didn’t know who Chayton was.
“Chayton had Nevast behind him.”
“Nevast? The Holy Nation Nevast?”
“Yes. Your enemy is Nevast, Kran.”
Lucion’s smile widened.
“And that Nevast is targeting me.”
Having the same enemy, Lucion made a proposal to Kran.
“If we head back to the West, guide me to Keortia.”
“Ke… Keortia? Are you serious?”
Kran’s eyes, filled with sudden fear, widened greatly.
“We need to uncover the truth, don’t we?” Lucion stated, his words seemingly natural.
Kran’s head fell quietly, and he buried his face in his hands.
“Ugh.”
Tears burst from Kran’s eyes.
“I’ll contact you with good news later today, so wait for it.”
Lucion stood up, put on his mask, gripped Kran’s shoulders, and turned away.
Kran could only sob.
He had waited for over a decade.
He had longed for the day he could return to his homeland.
But he couldn’t go back empty-handed, having lost his family and people who disappeared in an instant.
How could he return to his homeland empty-handed after losing them?
Did they suffer at the moment of their disappearance?
Were they in pain?
‘Thank… you. Thank you… thank you.’
Overwhelmed with joy, gratitude, and guilt, Kran could do nothing but shed tears.
* * *
“…Ha. It’s done.”
Heint stared at the report with a feeling of disgust, then checked the clock.
It was 11 PM.
The thought of finally being able to go to bed after consecutive nights of overtime work brought him joy.
Lucion had fallen asleep right after dinner, nothing unusual around, and Carson had yet to arrive.
After confirmation, Heint snapped his fingers to turn off the light.
Click.
As soon as he lay down on the bed with a satisfying sound, Heint immediately sat up.
“This crazy guy.”
The only one emitting a faint darkness around him was Hamel.
Without a doubt, Hamel had come to hear the results of Sephiro’s confession, the one who had hidden in the Great Light Temple and joined hands with Nevast.
Heint grumbled and gathered the documents for Hamel, thankful that it was nighttime and he didn’t have to see the middle finger Hamel raised every time they met.
“…”
Heint was speechless as he saw Hamel happily raising his middle finger upon seeing him.
[Lord Lucion?] Bethel’s eyes wavered.
Having merged with Lucion, it no longer felt like a constraint or anything, but rather just Lucion’s annoyance seeping through.
Heint’s face crumpled.
“I didn’t expect to see that damn finger today.”
“I said what I had to say. No need to get all worked up. Calling me crazy? Well then, I’ll act like a crazy person for you,” Lucion sarcastically retorted.
Lucion didn’t expect Heint to call him crazy out of the blue after their last meeting, where he did nothing.
“Fine. My mistake.”
Heint took a step back, not wanting to provoke Lucion.
Only then did Lucion lower his finger.
“Are you alone today? Where is the person who was with you?”
Heint looked for Hume’s presence.
Hume had been sent to the mansion just in case.
Although Heint himself wasn’t aware, when a servant disappeared, there were often many clues left behind.
“Why? Are we going to fight? Do you know what will happen if you and I fight?” Lucion asked.
“Come on. Can’t you be nice? I was just asking.”
Heint was slightly annoyed.
Heint couldn’t understand why Lucion was reacting so aggressively even to a simple question.
Lucion extended his hand.
“Now give me what you found at the Great Light Temple. You had enough time.”
“Enough time…? Don’t you know who I am?” Heint felt the urge to mention that he had been working on the report just a while ago, but he held back.
“How could I not know? You’re Heint Tria, the Commander of the 8th Order of the Knights,” Lucion sarcastically remarked.
Lucion knew Heint was busy. But Lucion had to pretend not to know.
He couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry.
“Well, at least give me what you’ve found so far,” Lucion demanded.
“That’s what I was going for,” Heint responded, his eyebrows twitching. He gritted his teeth and handed over the documents.
“Now, tell me briefly what you found. Summarize it in about three lines, if possible,” Lucion requested, holding the documents in his hand.