“That’s impossible.”
Someone said in utter disbelief.
“Yes, I know it’s hard to believe. But it’s an undeniable fact that has occurred.”
The Emperor sank deep into his chair and surveyed the conference room with eyes that had grown a shade darker blue. Everyone maintained silence, unable to rashly open their mouths. The air was heavy and stifling, as if rain were about to fall. A heavy silence descended like thick fog settling in.
Originally, most magical beasts could not cross the ancient magic of the Wall, and even if they did manage to cross, they were dealt with in Tildyen.
For a long time, Tildyen had essentially served as a shield for the Empire.
“They shouldn’t be able to cross over in such large numbers.”
Canon Montrose broke the silence, rubbing the space between his brows. It wasn’t as if creatures called magical beasts, especially lower-class magical beasts without intelligence like ghouls, had never once appeared in the south throughout the Empire’s long history.
However, such occurrences were extremely rare, and even when they were discovered, their numbers were so minimal that city guards were sufficient to eliminate them.
That’s why the fact that they had been discovered in such large groups shocked everyone in the council chamber.
“That’s why it’s happening simultaneously in multiple locations.”
Look here. Bluoa pointed to dozens of red dots marked on the map. Small estate territories near Runfield, governed by the Shonda family, were also invariably embroidered with red marks.
Usolin stroked his curly beard and reinforced Bluoa’s opinion.
“Haven’t you all seen it? The magical beast that burst into the White Forest wasn’t just a simple ghoul.”
At those words, Bluoa’s expression hardened stiffly. He had been suffering from fierce nightmares of being devoured by the magical beast he’d encountered that day, night after night. His once-sleek, handsome face had transformed into a haggard one in just a few days.
“But it’s strange. It seems there hasn’t been a single report of magical beast damage from Tildyen’s territory.”
Rohan said. All the magical beast damage records marked on the map were concentrated in the Empire’s south and east, and a few were also found in the western Forerium territory. There was not a single instance of damage in Tildyen, the northernmost part of the Empire that guarded the Wall connecting to the land of magical beasts, yet it was incomprehensible how magical beasts had appeared in the east or south, which were quite far removed from there.
“It’s not as if these ghoul bastards sprouted from the ground or dropped from the sky…”
The dukes’ gazes gathered on the blue-eyed duke of the north who had been maintaining silent silence.
“The Wall has ancient magic cast upon it. Unless that magic is deliberately broken, those things cannot cross the Wall.”
Evernight dismissed the raised questions with an indifferent voice. The way he tapped his index finger on the table while crossing his legs made it seem like he found this meeting utterly boring.
“Moreover, breaking ancient magic is something only mages can do. The only mage in Tildyen is my subordinate.”
It was a self-evident fact that everyone already knew, and after the hunting festival, his manner had become so coldly disdainful that no one could raise any further objections. If anyone did object, it would likely lead to a duel of honor.
“What if, by any chance, the ancient magic formula has been damaged? Couldn’t it have developed a crack somewhere because it’s too old?”
“…That’s something that has never happened in the Empire’s history. Which means it’s absurd nonsense.”
The discussion had returned to square one. The Emperor suppressed a yawn with a bored expression, then tilted his head while pressing the back of his hand against his temple.
‘When he tossed out the topic with an excited face, and now he’s bored again already.’
Evernight inwardly mocked the Emperor’s fickleness.
“Um…”
Hakseos rolled his eyes toward the ceiling as if calculating something, then timidly raised his hand.
“Even if we don’t know about the fourth, the ‘Age of Reconciliation’… wasn’t there the ‘Eternal Night’ in the third, the ‘Age of War’?”
Perhaps that period has returned. With that, Hakseos rolled his eyes anxiously.
“Eternal Night?! What kind of ridiculous nonsense is this?!”
Usolin’s thick palm struck the table. As the massive table rattled, Hakseos made a “hiik” sound and trembled. I’m, I’m sorry, Your Majesty. Hakseos bowed his head deeply, almost burying his nose on the table, as he shook.
‘My foolish and endlessly weak son. For the sake of our family, on this journey you must definitely make a firm impression on His Majesty.’
As Hakseos departed on this journey to Maneregia, his father had sternly admonished him that unless he rattled a rattle before the Emperor, their family wouldn’t be able to inherit a proper territory in the future.
Hakseos himself felt deep pride in his family’s tradition and duty of managing and preserving the World Library even without governing territory, but regrettably, his father did not. His father would always sigh while looking at the numerous records and books piled up in the library, “How can we make money with these things?”
When he felt that the Emperor’s complexion seemed to be growing darker somehow, Hakseos deeply regretted his statement. In his eagerness to make an impression by presenting a plausible solution, he seemed to have crossed the line.
“Eternal Night?”
But it was already too late. Others besides Usolin and Evernight showed curiosity at this unfamiliar term they were hearing for the first time.
Eternal Night. A world where the sun disappears and only night reigns. A time when magical beasts swarm throughout the world and the ruler of evil, Tanon, opens his eyes.
Historical records seemingly written in rune letters from the third age described it as such.
“Hakseos, you’re still young, so how do you know about that? Did your father tell you?”
Emperor Luksus asked, straightening his previously buried posture. Hakseos clasped his hands together, not knowing what to do.
“Your Majesty… the thing is… please kill me!”
He jumped up from his seat and prostrated himself deeply.
It was known that all ancient texts related to the Eternal Night were burned by order of the first Claist Emperor, who reclaimed the dawn from evil when the fourth age arrived after the Age of War ended. The stated purpose was to spread an atmosphere of peace throughout the Empire and unite people’s strength.
Therefore, they were originally products that should not exist in this world, but about 600 years ago, Hakseos’s family had succeeded in secretly smuggling several historical records to the World Library, defying the first Emperor’s command. Hoping they would be used advantageously for the family someday.
Luksus burst into laughter. The sound of laughter that filled the ceiling seemed strangely steeped in madness rather than heartiness. Like a child who had discovered a new toy.
“That’s a reasonable point, Lord Hakseos. Perhaps the Eternal Night is trying to return again.”
As the Emperor’s pale pupils gleamed and his sharp corners of his mouth curved up smoothly, Hakseos’s body shrank completely. The Emperor looked at Evernight, ignoring Hakseos who was prostrated on the ground.
“Lord Evernight, unless you’re deliberately concealing it, it must be true that there’s been no magical beast damage in the north.”
There had actually been an incident in Northernmost, but it was just small fry that had crossed over due to Anya’s mistake. Evernight deliberately didn’t bring up that fact in front of everyone.
And somehow the Emperor’s attitude was suspicious. Though Emperor Luksus had become quite docile as he aged, his nickname of the Mad Emperor wasn’t for nothing.
“Eternal Night…”
When the Emperor brought up that word once more, Hakseos’s prostrated body flinched. The Mad Emperor was someone who could burst into laughter in the audience hall but then draw his sword with an indifferent face and strike down necks.
His nickname derived purely from that unpredictable attitude.
“Mm, then it would make sense.”
In an atmosphere that seemed to carry the clouds of war, the Emperor’s voice was incomparably cheerful and terribly out of place. Everyone’s eyes narrowed thinly as they studied the Emperor’s complexion.
“Yes, synthesizing the opinions of the lords, I—”
His finger pointed to a certain spot on the map.
“—have no choice but to conclude that the Wall has been breached. Whether this signifies the prelude to evil returning after 600 years or not, we’ll have to confirm it directly.”
The conference room fell silent as death. Soon, the sound of raindrops pattering against the window echoed indoors. Shortly after, refreshing streams of rain poured down from between gloomy dark clouds.
The words that the Wall had been breached were something no one in the Empire’s long history had ever heard. Through the first, the ‘Age of Sun’ when the god of all things sent his children to Midgaia (the middle realm), past the second, the ‘Age of Life’ when his children gave birth to numerous races, and through the third, the ‘Age of War’—the Wall had always stood firm in its place.
“Your Majesty, if the Wall has been breached… how is Tildyen maintaining itself intact?”
Rohan raised the question. The Wall stretched across most of Tildyen’s territory from east to west. If it had been breached somewhere, the magical beasts would have necessarily descended to the south through Tildyen.
“Lord Evernight, this is a sacred place. Before His Majesty, speak only the truth.”
Usolin issued a warning. Evernight was beginning to feel boredom and fatigue from this nutritionless conversation. He suddenly recalled his young partner who still couldn’t open his eyes this morning and lay in bed quiet as a mouse. The healers had rushed in all night, but they all said the healing magic wouldn’t take hold.
‘Because of the pregnancy…’
He rested his chin and quietly turned his gaze to the rain falling outside the window. The seed inside Anya’s belly would someday become a monster and suck out all that child’s blood. Evernight’s blue eyes darkened like overcast clouds.
“No, Usolin. Tildyen is solid. Rather than reports of magical beast attacks, Tildyen has only sent reports that death by starvation due to severe cold is serious.”
The Emperor shook his head with a smile. Starvation in the abundant fourth age. Everyone frowned.
“Is that correct, Evernight?”
At the Emperor’s call, Evernight’s gaze returned to the conference table. The two stared at each other for a moment. It was Evernight who looked away first. Evernight readily accepted the Emperor’s wicked intention to get a definite answer no matter what.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
There was no telling when the meeting would end. It was entirely up to the unlucky Emperor’s mood.
“Your Majesty. Then how exactly has the Wall been breached?”
Everyone looked exhausted from the seemingly circular flow of the meeting. The Emperor pointed to a certain area drawn on one of the unrolled scrolls.
“The eastern end, I suspect this place.”
Usolin asked in a reluctant voice.
“Your Majesty… I humbly submit, but do you mean Fortmeus?”
“Yes, the Elves’ Ferry. That’s what it was called in the third age.”
