Chapter 200

Chapter 200. Traitors (1)

In a luxurious room.

Famous paintings that anyone would recognize hung on the walls, and the chandelier on the ceiling sparkled with dazzling light.

The room, reminiscent of a high-end hotel, had one peculiar feature.

There was no ‘door’ that a room should have.

No matter where you looked on the walls, there was neither a door nor even a window.

In the center of the room, a round table was set with three empty chairs.

*Hummm.*

Light began to flow from one of the chairs.

Along with it, a hologram formed in the air.

The face of the hologram was one that anyone on the continent would recognize.

[Hmm. Not everyone has arrived yet?]

Current Hero Rank 2.

The hero who rules the Holy Kingdom, Pope Marian.

She looked around the empty room with a relaxed smile.

*Hummm.*

Meanwhile, light began to emanate from another chair.

The face of an old man formed in the air.

Current Hero Rank 3.

‘Brain God’ Raonel Liu.

Marian lightly bowed her head toward Raonel.

[It’s been a while, Chancellor Raonel.]

[Sorry for being late.]

[Hehe. I just arrived myself.]

Marian smiled warmly.

[Thank you for accommodating our candidates during the recent field trip.]

[Oh my, it’s only natural to invest in the future heroes who will take responsibility for the continent.]

Marian shrugged as she responded.

Raonel looked at her with an awkward expression.

[By the way, I heard one of our candidates caused some trouble…]

[Ah, that. You don’t need to worry about it. The investigation showed no signs of damage to the Holy Mother’s tomb.]

[I’m sorry about that.]

[Hehe. It’s fine.]

The two continued their casual conversation.

[By the way…]

Raonel frowned slightly and looked at the remaining empty chair.

[Late again today.]

[Hehe. It happens every time, doesn’t it?]

[Ugh.]

Raonel let out a low sigh.

Then.

*Hummm.*

Light began to emanate from the last chair.

[Speak of the devil.]

[Hmm. A devil, you say…]

A lazy voice echoed through the room.

Though the voice was so languid it could sap one’s energy, it was filled with such solemnity and charisma that it made you want to kneel on one knee just by hearing it.

[Are you comparing me to such a mere creature?]

Radiant platinum blonde hair.

A woman wearing a thin nightgown that seemed almost translucent, half-lying on a long chair.

Though her appearance, lounging in a nightgown in broad daylight, was no different from a lazy bum, the intense charisma and unique aura emanating from her easily erased such thoughts.

Current Hero Rank 1, ‘Empress’ Camelia Padshah.

The Empress of the Empire, standing at the pinnacle of heroes.

[A mere creature? Don’t you know that tigers are revered as sacred beings in the Republic?]

[I am aware. However…]

Camelia turned her languid gaze toward Raonel, as if she might fall asleep at any moment.

[In my presence, all living beings in the world are mere creatures.]

[…You haven’t changed a bit.]

Raonel shook his head with a tired expression.

Camelia turned her gaze to Marian and continued.

[So, how did the results of this test turn out?]

[It was surprising.]

[Oh?]

As Marian manipulated the magical tool, an image appeared in the center of the table.

The image showed a handsome blonde man fiercely swinging his sword against members of the Seven Star Knights.

[That’s the child from the Helios family.]

Camelia nodded as if she recognized the face.

She yawned as she watched Yuren swinging his sword.

[Oh my, aren’t you surprised? A candidate who hasn’t even graduated is handling the Seven Star Knights like children.]

[I’ve heard before that Yuren Helios has exceptional talent. However…]

Camelia narrowed her eyes and watched Yuren swinging his sword intently.

[It seems he’s made quite some progress since I last saw him.]

[Oh… That’s rare praise coming from you.]

[Hehe. I’m not stingy with compliments.]

[Well… You don’t look too pleased, though?]

[Even if he’s made progress, he’s still just a brat, isn’t he?]

Camelia shrugged and scanned the image.

[Still… There seem to be a few gems among this year’s candidates.]

The image showed Iris, Camila, Berald, Sophia, and Lanes passing by.

Then.

[…Hmm?]

Camelia’s eyes, which had been languid as if she might fall asleep at any moment, sparkled with interest.

[Wait, pause it.]

[What’s wrong?]

The paused image showed a candidate with dark gray hair.

The candidate was lightly subduing a charging Seven Star Knight with a sword wrapped in ashen flames.

[Ah, that candidate…]

[You know him?]

[He’s the one who caused some trouble during the field trip.]

[Trouble?]

[It’s nothing major…]

Marian explained the recent tomb intrusion incident to Camelia.

[Hmm.]

Camelia sat up from her half-lying position and stared intently at the image.

[Is this really that surprising?]

Raonel tilted his head as if he didn’t understand.

[It’s true that Candidate Dale subdued a Seven Star Knight, but wasn’t it the same with Candidate Yuren?]

In fact, Yuren had shown more impressive skills.

Unlike Dale, who had only subdued one knight, Yuren had fought against nearly ten Seven Star Knights without being pushed back.

[Isn’t it strange?]

[What’s strange?]

[The wall that was broken.]

Camelia slowly raised her hand and pointed to the spot where the Seven Star Knight had been sent flying by Dale’s sword.

The wall where the knight had crashed was slightly cracked and broken.

[What’s the problem with that?]

Raonel frowned, unable to understand.

For an ordinary person, it would be difficult to cause enough impact to crack a wall like that, but in battles between heroes, such things were common.

In fact, a slight crack in the wall was considered minimal damage for a battle of this level.

[Ah.]

Marian’s eyes widened as if she had realized something.

[How…?]

Her voice trembled slightly.

[…Marian, why are you acting like this too?]

[Hmm. Haven’t you figured it out yet?]

*Tsk.*

Camelia clicked her tongue.

[That ruin is protected by a powerful barrier.]

The ruin where the test was conducted was a place connected to Grace’s tomb, serving as a kind of passage.

If the ruin were to collapse, Grace’s tomb, built directly below, would be damaged, so a powerful protective barrier had been placed over the entire ruin.

But.

In the current image, the body of the Seven Star Knight that had been sent flying had clearly caused a ‘crack’ in the ruin’s wall.

[In other words.]

Camelia continued in a low voice.

[It means he broke through the protective barrier that was placed over the entire ruin.]

[…Does that make sense?]

Given the Holy Kingdom’s affinity for support-type abilities, the level of their protective barriers was undoubtedly the highest among the three nations.

Moreover, that barrier was…

[Are you saying a mere candidate broke through the protective barrier that Marian set up?]

Current Rank 2.

The protective barrier that Pope Marian had set up using a massive holy artifact.

[This… seems to require further investigation.]

Marian also nodded with a stiff expression.

Camelia’s eyes sparkled with interest as she looked at Dale in the image.

[Hmm. That candidate’s name is Dale Han… right?]

[That’s right.]

[He’s interesting.]

Camelia sensually crossed her legs, white as jade, and folded her arms.

She turned to Raonel and spoke in her characteristic languid tone.

[Raonel. Send me information about that candidate.]

[…Disclosing a candidate’s personal information is strictly prohibited.]

[Don’t worry about it. My word is law.]

[……]

Raonel let out a deep sigh at Camelia’s brazen demand for the candidate’s personal information.

[Even if you don’t give it to me, I’ll get my hands on it soon anyway. There’s no need to make things more complicated.]

As she said.

If Camelia wanted Dale’s information, she would get it by any means necessary.

That was the way of the current Hero Rank 1, ‘Empress’ Camelia.

[Sigh.]

Raonel let out a deep sigh and sent her the file containing Dale’s information.

[Hehe. Wise choice.]

Camelia smiled leisurely and stroked the golden bracelet on her wrist.

Soon, a hologram appeared, displaying the document with Dale’s information.

[Now, let’s see… Hmm?]

As she read through the document, she frowned.

[…Last place? Last place, you say?]

She turned to Raonel with a look of disbelief.

Raonel nodded with a smirk.

[That’s accurate information.]

[If you’re trying to deceive me, you’d better be prepared for the consequences.]

[Deceive you? Knowing your personality, why would I do something so stupid?]

[…Then you’re saying the information here is accurate?]

[That’s right.]

Raonel nodded and continued.

[By the way, Candidate Dale is currently under disciplinary committee review for causing another incident while on probation.]

[……]

Camelia let out a dumbfounded laugh.

[To have the power to break Marian’s barrier and yet hide it…]

Camelia’s eyes sparkled with interest.

[This… could be useful.]

[Useful?]

[Isn’t it a headache dealing with the ‘traitors’ who’ve been sneaking into Valhalla City lately?]

[……]

Raonel’s expression stiffened.

Camelia continued in her languid tone.

[I think this child is suitable…]

A being with exceptional combat power, yet whose information is almost unknown to the world.

There aren’t many beings as suitable to be used as a ‘hunting dog’ as this one.

A fierce hunting dog to tear out the throats of traitors.

[What do you think?]

Camelia looked at Chancellor Raonel with a deep smile.