Editor 62

“What?”

Isiel quickly explained the situation.

After repeatedly failing to conquer the ‘Remembered World,’ Aslan lost his temper tonight and suddenly summoned Arthur, who had been sleeping peacefully, to vent his anger.

He said things like, let’s see how great your martial prowess really is, or maybe if you conquer the ‘Remembered World’ and return, I’ll acknowledge a lowborn monster like you as my brother.

When Arthur didn’t cave in to any insult, Aslan eventually began to slander even Viscount Kishion.

Arthur, who usually endured any nonsense in silence, finally exploded when Aslan insulted his mother and claimed she had a dirty relationship with Viscount Kishion.

Using that as a pretext, Aslan tried to have three of his knight subordinates push Arthur into the gate.

If Isiel hadn’t sensed something and come this way, Arthur would have been helpless.

Who wouldn’t be angry if someone insulted their mother, but if even that normally sly guy lost his temper, then…

‘In the previous manuscript, it only mentioned that Arthur’s mother had died. I didn’t know he was so attached.’

Whatever Cleio’s cold expression meant, Isiel’s tone grew even more urgent.

“Three Cruel Knights are accompanying Lord Arthur, but in that case, their real purpose won’t be to conquer the ‘Remembered World.’”

“Yeah. Even if this expedition fails, they could still kill Arthur. That’s Aslan’s long-held wish, so losing a few knights isn’t a bad deal for him.”

“We can’t let that happen.”

“Of course not. Did you bring Beg’s Sword?”

Isiel slightly parted her winter cape to show the hidden sword.

After sending her out of the room, Cleio quickly changed out of his pajamas and into a sweater and boots.

He hesitated, then took out Varg’s mica from the safe and put one in each pocket.

‘I’ll try to use only one if I can.’

He packed the subspace wallet with magestone bronze and iron, and his ash wand in his bag, fastening his coat tightly. He didn’t forget to pin the Capital Defense Badge on his coat collar.

When Cleio left the room and looked back, Behemoth was still sprawled out asleep on the bed.

‘Forget it. Saying goodbye now would feel like setting a death flag.’

His steps running down the dorm stairs in the middle of the night grew faster and faster.

When he reached the first-floor lobby, Chel and the Angelium twins were waiting.

Having heard everything, as soon as Cleio joined them, everyone silently headed into the school’s forest.

.

.

.

Arthur was standing outside Aslan’s tent like a lost child.

He was tall and solidly built, but in that moment, he still looked like a boy.

After the boy, an old man came out of the tent.

He put a hand on Arthur’s shoulder as if to stop the reckless prince, but after hearing a firm answer, he looked on with regret.

Arthur was the first to spot Cleio. With Arthur’s attention, Zebedi also realized his student was approaching.

Seeing Isiel following, Zebedi seemed to figure out how word had spread and let out a faint sigh.

“I’ll skip the preamble. This is sudden, but may we use your tent for a moment, Professor?”

“Go ahead. Cleio, try to talk some sense into him if you can.”

“I’ll try my best.”

Zebedi’s personal tent was set up opposite Aslan’s.

Cleio, dragging the unusually flushed Arthur inside, entered first, and the other kids quickly took their places.

When Lipi tidied up the tent entrance, Cleio quickly cast a circle.

[Soundproof][Shielding] magic formulas floated above the floor.

“[The secrets of horses shall be everlasting.]”

The twins squealed in admiration.

“Is that a barrier?”

“Yeah, you know your stuff.”

“Lipi and I are pros at memorizing magic formulas. We’ve been doing it since we were four.”

“Anyway, that’s amazing.”

“Getting Ray involved was the right move.”

Even after being roused by bad news in the middle of the night, the twins were carefree.

They were the same kids who acted cheerful even when the capital was under siege in the previous manuscript, so it was no wonder they didn’t bat an eye at a crisis like this.

But Cleio’s nerves weren’t as sturdy as theirs.

“Arthur, I heard you lost your temper when your brother insulted your mother and decided to run into the gate. I told you not to get swept up like that.”

Arthur scratched the back of his head sheepishly, then managed a wry smile.

“When have I ever listened to anyone?”

“Hey!”

“Don’t be mad, Ray. I’m joking. I was going to listen to you until I reached level 6… but then Aslan started slandering even Viscount Kishion.”

“What did he say?”

“He said my mother was a lunatic and immoral, and that Viscount Kishion was bewitched by her and plotting treason. That he would ultimately rebel.”

Cleio couldn’t scold Arthur any further. Not only was that the kind of talk that would make anyone’s blood boil, it was also a threat to the Kishion family.

Arthur, calmly buckling on Beg’s Sword as Isiel handed it over, seemed perfectly composed.

In other words, he had no intention of changing his mind.

‘Besides, that’s… not the attitude of someone who’s lost his temper, but someone who’s been waiting for this moment.’

“It’s really ridiculous, but… did you provoke Aslan on purpose this time? Huh?”

“Our mage can’t be fooled, huh.”

“You’re not interested in mana stones, or in the magic tools you’d get from conquering the ‘Remembered World.’ Why bother going in at all?”

“Ray, you said you never work for free. Mana stones, magic tools—I said I’d welcome them, right? I’m just doing a little sword work to pay back my mage.”

“Cut the crap.”

“I’m serious. And while I’m at it, I want to see Aslan get so pissed off his insides boil. If he focuses his anger on me, he’ll pay less attention to searching the Kishion estate.”

“Isiel, are you really okay with a guy like this as your lord?”

“Aslan was the one who started it. Lord Arthur’s mother was a chaste priestess, yet he insulted her with filthy words. What child could stand by and watch that? And about the viscounty…”

Isiel, unusually, trailed off and looked to Arthur for permission. Arthur gave a small nod.

‘What’s this now?’

“We’re prepared. If I disappear from the world after crossing the gate, a telegram will be sent to the Kishion estate. It’s sealed by three layers of magic and can only be opened by the blood of my kin. That way, even if officials or investigators are sent, the Kishion estate’s private soldiers will have enough time to hide.”

Cleio’s jaw dropped.

Aslan had slandered both Viscount Kishion and Arthur’s mother, but in the former’s case, it wasn’t slander at all.

‘Private soldiers? Did she just say private soldiers? They weren’t just in training; they were actually ready to use force to seize the throne?’

Yawning faintly, Chel casually added to Isiel’s words.

“It’s the same for me. I’ve arranged for all the assets I inherited from my grandmother to be liquidated and the records destroyed upon my death. I signed an ‘ether-engraved contract,’ so it’ll definitely be enforced.”

Cleio’s shocked gaze shifted from Isiel to Chel. Without a moment to recover, the twins continued, eyes shining.

“If you’re not out by tomorrow, I’ll pretend to be sick in my room, and Lipi will return to the Angelium estate to report all this. Father will be able to cover up the rest.”

Leticia pointed to the ivy-leaf ornament in Lipi’s hair.

“People only tell us apart by that. I’ll pretend to be Lipi. Actually, that ivy hairpin was mine to begin with.”

“You guys…”

“People underestimate us because we’re little girls, but they have no idea what we’re really capable of. That’s how we gained our freedom to move.”

Overwhelmed by the sudden rush of information, Cleio felt dizzy.

Even Lipi and Leticia, still children, were ready to risk their lives to support Arthur.

Maybe Arthur hadn’t been ‘just a student’ since he entered school.

As Cleio wore an expression of ‘what the hell is this,’ Chel snickered.

“You asked on the train if we knew Arthur before enrolling. Of course we did—very well. He’s our lord, how could we not know what kind of person he is.”

That was the confirmation.

‘Damn. I should have pressed Chel more when he dropped hints on the train. This is worse than the previous manuscript. The fate of a dynasty is being decided by teenagers!’

For no particular reason, Cleio clenched and unclenched his fist in indignation and frustration.

‘Sure, Alexander was eighteen when he started his campaigns. But that was the ancient world. This is a modern state by any measure….’

Of course, it was a modern state with magic and swordmasters.

Even in the previous manuscript, these kids were just as serious, willing to stake their lives.

It was only natural that the 3rd prince, farthest from the throne, would have women and children as his companions.

Those farthest from power, those who could never fit into the established order, joined hands with Arthur to change the rules of the game.

‘Still, this is too fast… the Angelium twins are only thirteen… what is this?’

While Cleio was lost in chaos and destruction, Arthur, having finished tying his boots, stood up straight, adjusting his coat collar.

Arthur tapped Cleio’s shoulder, whose head was about to boil over.

He had the last word.

“It’s a shame I had to tell my mage and ally last. I wanted to show off more dramatically after consolidating my forces.”

“You’re already so cool it’s driving me crazy. Arthur, you keep moaning about being penniless, but you’re totally prepared!”

“I really don’t have a single mana stone. If anything valuable came my way, Aslan would have noticed.”

“What about this?”

Cleio pointed at Beg’s Sword, tightly fastened at Arthur’s hip. He almost wanted to take it back.

“It’s fine because it’s a gift from the crown prince’s favorite mage given out of camaraderie. The more legitimate the origin, the less suspicion.”

“I’m honestly a little hurt you all kept this from me, but given the situation, I’ll ask about it after you get back. Just wait.”

Isiel spoke anxiously.

“That’s right. There’s time to sort out rights and wrongs later. First, we need to prevent the Cruel Knights from entering the gate. Any ideas?”

Cleio, having calmed himself, recalled the content from the previous manuscript.

The first dungeon was definitely the ‘Queen’s Garden.’

Since it was the first stage, all the monsters except the final boss were plant-type, so apart from the boss, it wasn’t that dangerous.

As feared from the start, it wasn’t the monsters but Aslan’s knights who posed the greatest threat to Arthur’s life.

“I’ll handle that somehow. I received my knighthood from Melchior and it’s known we’re on good terms, so if I use that, I’ll get some reaction from Aslan.”

“Ray, you really know my brothers well.”

“Anyone with a brain would figure that out. Anyway, inside, it should be Arthur, me, Isiel, and Chel, right? You seem to have planned for that as well.”

“Right.”

“Yeah.”

“…But let me ask one thing. Arthur, did you know in advance what was going to happen?”

Whether it was memories of the future or visions, this was the kind of preparation that couldn’t be done without certainty.

Arthur definitely knew something. His close companions had made preparations, trusting his prediction.

In that case, Cleio needed to know how much the manuscript had deviated.

“‘A prophecy of conflict between two princes and two rivers. A foretelling that an era of war is coming.’ I knew about it too.”

“What?”

That was a line Cleio had spoken when he joined hands with Arthur in the previous manuscript.

Even quoting it, the other kids showed no surprise, as if it was an old story.

“Ray, even up to the day you talked to me about ‘faith,’ I had no guarantee. Even while preparing, I kept wondering if I was doing something pointless, if I was just endangering the people around me. But after you told me the details of your predictions, I was finally certain―.”

Arthur smiled happily.

“That my mother’s prophecy wasn’t wrong.”

“Your mother told you the same prophecy I saw?”

“Yeah. My mother was a priestess who could see the future. She made strange prophecies no one wanted to hear. If I hadn’t seen visions and gotten exiled with her, we might have been beheaded someday.”

“Anything else besides that? For example?”

“A representative one would be the prophecy that her son would become king.”