Caron quietly listened as the World Tree began her explanation. "Havoc twisted your soul and created the existence known as Cain Latorre. That was your previous life," she began. "...Was the Malevolent Emperor a Demon King from the very beginning?" Caron asked. "Yes. He was the embodiment of Havoc itself," the World Tree answered. Caron had suspected as much, but hearing it spoken aloud ignited a wave of anger within him. What the World Tree was saying was that his entire previous life had been nothing more than a Demon King's plaything. That his fate had been stolen wholesale. Anyone would have been furious. "How is it even possible for a Demon King to steal someone's soul?" Caron asked. "A soul is not something that can be fully understood within the bounds of human comprehension," the World Tree replied. "Even among Demon Kings, stealing the soul of a mortal without direct contract is nearly impossible." "But my soul was..." Caron trailed off. "There is one Demon King," the World Tree interrupted gently, "who could make the impossible possible." She poured more fruit wine into Caron's empty glass as she spoke, "The Demon King of Void. That wretched being has likely reached the level of divine authority. And yet... Even that remains uncertain." The pale green liquid shimmered faintly as it filled the glass. She had imbued it with her power. Raw mana, pure and vibrant, pulsed from the drink. She offered it to Caron, and he drank it silently. The clear mana seeped through his body, washing away the fatigue that clung to him. "Void is different from the others," the World Tree continued. "He has existed in the Demon Realm since the beginning. He never showed his power openly, simply remaining within his domain. And now... That being has interfered with your fate." Hidden truths had come to light. Caron furrowed his brow and asked, "Why?" "Only the Demon King of Void knows," the World Tree said bitterly, draining her own glass. "All I did was guide your soul back to Azureocean Castle. That's it. Nothing more." It was as if the very existence of Cain Latorre had just been erased. The World Tree had declared that his previous life was a mere puppet of a Demon King. To say he wasn't upset would have been a lie. "All the suffering you endured in your previous life came from the Demon Kings," the World Tree said. "Well, I guess that's one more reason to kill every last one of them," Caron said. The Demon King of Void was a being above all other Demon Kings. Caron wondered what exactly it wanted. His thoughts tangled and twisted, but he eventually realized none of it mattered. There was only one answer. Caron needed only to repeat that truth, again and again, as he pressed forward. Eventually, he would reach even the Void itself. He nodded slowly, then asked another question. "I found traces left by Rael Leston in the Holy Kingdom. His memories contained knowledge about the Demon Realm. Do you know anything about that?" The World Tree, a being that had existed since the dawn of time—practically a god—quietly met his gaze. "Rael Leston once reached the edge of Void's domain," she said. "He never broke the veil. In the end, he left that weighty mission to the next generation. The only ones who can break that veil... are those who bear the name of Leston." "Why?" Caron asked. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by NoveI(F)ire.net "Rael Leston crossed the veil once. And if anyone is to cross it again, it must be a descendant bearing his name," the World Tree explained. It was a truth not even recorded in the family's own histories. Rael Leston had founded the Ducal Family of Leston on the continent, but Caron had always wondered where he came from. That part of history had remained veiled in mystery—until now. And from the lips of the World Tree herself came the truth. "...Our founder came from beyond the veil?" Caron asked. She was saying that the origin of the Ducal Family of Leston lay in the Demon Realm itself. If the elders of the Leston family heard this, they would have been outraged, calling it utter nonsense. But Caron knew that the World Tree had no reason to lie to him. "Then what exactly lies beyond the veil?" Caron asked. It was the one question that pierced through everything. The World Tree gave a faint, bitter smile and slowly shook her head. "My roots do not reach into the Demon Realm. There is nothing I can glean from that place. However..." she trailed off. Raising one hand, she began to draw something in the air. Before Caron's eyes, an image appeared. It was a world overflowing with flora and greenery. "The current Demon Realm is but a fragment of a continent that once existed long ago. That is all I can tell you," the World Tree continued. With a calm voice, she revealed what little she knew about the origin of the Demon Realm. Caron tried to engrave every word into his mind. So Rael Leston came from the realm of Void? he thought. He wondered if that meant Rael Leston was a demon. No, he's not a demon, Caron concluded. If Rael Leston had truly come from demonkind, then the bloodline of the Ducal Family of Leston would have carried the same demonic power—just like the imperial family of the Orias Empire. But the mana running through the Ducal Family of Leston was pure and untainted. That could only mean that there had once been other races within the Demon Realm—ones separate from the demons. "The Azure Mana is a pure and exalted force granted only to the bloodline of Rael Leston," the World Tree said. "Follow that mana, and you may someday reach the truth you seek." She exhaled softly, then continued in a gentle voice, "Now that I have awakened, the power of the Demon Realm will not so easily cross into the continent. That means I will buy you some time." The World Tree rose to her feet and slowly placed a hand on Caron's head, gently brushing his hair. "Five years," she said. "Within five years, you must gather the strength of the continent and reach the realm of 9-Star. That is the path you must take if you intend to reach the Demon Realm." The continent wasn't yet ready for war against the Demon Realm, but if the World Tree could buy Caron those precious years, it would make all the difference. Caron lowered his head in gratitude, a faint smile on his lips. He said, "Thank you." One burden, at least, had been lifted. What this continent needed now was time—time to settle the chaos, and time to unite. "World Tree," Caron said, "May I ask just one more question?" The World Tree gave a slow nod and replied, "Yes, you may ask." Suddenly, an image flashed in Caron's mind—of the vision he had seen in Saint Kamael's tomb. A nameless temple perched on the edge of a cliff. And within that temple, a man who wore Caron's face. He wasn't sure if it was a memory from the past, or a glimpse into the future. "Is it possible that I'm someone else's reincarnation?" Caron asked. Even if the Malevolent Emperor had interfered in this cycle of reincarnation, reincarnation itself clearly was possible—Caron was proof of that. And if it could happen once, it could happen twice. Perhaps that man he had seen—bearing his own face—had been yet another previous life. But this time, the World Tree couldn't provide an answer. "It's not impossible," she said quietly, "but it's not something I can confirm." "So it is possible?" Caron pressed. "Yes. But I cannot peer into your previous lives. You do not belong to me," the World Tree replied. That alone was enough. The possibility was there. Caron nodded slowly. He had received the knowledge he needed. He had time on his side. Reviving the World Tree had already borne fruit beyond expectation. "Good," Caron said, licking his lips and smiling with mischief. "Still, I feel quite honored to be the savior of the World Tree. I look forward to working closely with you from now on." His tone was casual—but the wise World Tree immediately understood what he meant. ...I suppose I'll be stuck dealing with him now, she thought. She had already come to know his patterns. No doubt he would cling like ivy, but she had no choice. After all, this too was her burden to bear. "...If you need anything, just say so," she said. "Oh no, don't say that like I'm some shameless scoundrel always asking for things!" Caron said, laughing. "I don't need anything big. I'd just be happy if you stayed healthy and let your dew form often, haha!" Caron was blatantly requesting one of the rarest treasures the World Tree could offer. But of course, he wasn't finished. "By the way," he added, "Would it be okay if I clipped a few branches on the way out?" "I was going to offer a branch to Azureocean Castle already—" the World Tree began, but was cut off. "Oh, that's for Aqua now. I'm talking about branches strong enough to forge equipment. I'll be visiting the dwarf city soon, and top-grade materials would be a great help," Caron interrupted. "...Take what you need," the World Tree replied. "My, you're so generous. Thank you," Caron said. He was bold enough to announce he would cut branches directly from the World Tree. Truly, there was no one like him. That day, the World Tree ended up giving him ten branches. After concluding his meeting with the World Tree, Caron headed straight for the Oceanwolf Knight Order outpost that had been established in Galad. Following the treaty between the Ducal Family of Leston and the elves, a branch of the Oceanwolf Knights had been stationed in the elven city. About twenty knights were deployed there. There weren't many, but then again, the region wasn't particularly dangerous. Ever since the threat of war with the nagas had been defused, the area had enjoyed a period of peace. That didn't mean they had nothing to do, however. One of the branch's key responsibilities was to resolve disputes between elves and humans. "You've been reported for selling goods to the elves at extortionate prices," an Oceanwolf Knight said. "I-I'm innocent! I swear!" a merchant cried out. "We'll find out if that's true or not during the investigation," the knight said. "Please, I beg you—just don't kill me!" the merchant begged. Since most elves were interacting with humans for the first time, some unscrupulous merchants had taken advantage of the situation, charging outrageous prices. The Oceanwolf Knights in Galad had made it their mission to root out such exploitation and deal with it swiftly. Caron gave an approving nod. "You're doing well," he said with satisfaction. He had no use for merchants who ruined trust just to make a quick profit. A large portion of the profits from trade with the elves ended up deposited into Caron's personal accounts, after all. And that wasn't all—trade with the Pajar Sultanate and the beastkin clans had been steadily swelling his fortune as well. "What are you even planning to do with all that money?" Leo asked. "Leo, money is one of those things—the more, the better. Tsk tsk. This is exactly why the rich don't understand the value of money. That jerky you're chewing on? That's money, too. Money," Caron replied. With more money came more possibilities. There's a lot I can do with this money now, Caron thought, stroking his chin. Over time, his wealth had grown so consistently and so quietly that he now stood among the richest figures in the entire empire. Very few people knew that—perhaps only the head of the Imperial Bank, his father Fayle, and Halo. At this point, his assets weren't just enough to manage a territory—they were enough to influence an entire kingdom. And with trade between the empire and its neighbors growing more active, the rate of return was accelerating at a staggering pace. This money had a clear purpose. "When the war among the southern kingdoms ends, they'll start rebuilding," Caron said. If the major powers like the empire forced peace upon them, those kingdoms would have no choice but to comply. And when they began their reconstruction—reluctantly or not—Caron would be there. He planned to lend a portion of his amassed wealth to the southern kingdoms. "Debtors never ignore the man holding the ledger," Caron added. It was the classic carrot-and-stick approach. They would have no choice but to accept Caron's help, and in doing so, he could gain a foothold as their creditor—and demand concessions in return. Leo clicked his tongue and said, "What are you now, a loan shark? Honestly, it suits you." "Thanks for the compliment," Caron said with a grin. It wasn't a bad deal. The southern kingdoms weren't going to collapse, but they were too fractured to unify, even after such a long war—so Caron figured it was better to bind them with mutual interests. He and Leo were still exchanging conversation when one of the Oceanwolf Knights approached. "Young Master Caron," the knight said carefully, stopping in front of him. "A mission order just arrived." "For me?" Caron asked, surprised. "Yes. It was sent directly by the head of the house," the knight answered. "...My grandfather?" Caron asked, then accepted the letter with a grimace. He had been planning to visit the dwarven cities and take it easy for a bit. This was a sudden detour. But he knew that if Halo had personally issued the order, it had to be serious. Caron unsealed the letter and read... "A rebellion has broken out in the Neon Kingdom. A force of mercenaries led by the so-called Mercenary King Nelson has taken the royal palace, slaughtered the entire royal family, and established himself as the new king. According to intelligence reports, several dark mages are embedded within his forces—necromancers have already raised undead across the region. Assess the situation and take appropriate action. The decision is left to your discretion." The royal family of Neon—one of the southern kingdoms—had fallen. But what caught Caron's attention most was the mention of the Mercenary King. He was a man who had surpassed 8-Star long ago. His name always came up when listing the continent's strongest. And he was also a walking storm of terrible rumors. Caron let out a sigh as he lowered the dispatch and dragged a hand down his face. He turned to the knight who had delivered it and said, "Connect me with the Queen. Immediately." "You mean the Pirate Queen?" the knight asked. "Yes. Tell her Caron Leston wants to see her immediately," Caron answered. The brief little vacation was officially over. As always, evil never took a day off. "So, what's the plan?" Leo asked, having read the dispatch over Caron's shoulder. Caron gave a sharp grin and replied, "What else would I do?" When a threat couldn't be controlled, there was only one solution. "I'm going to go there myself and smash it to pieces," Caron declared. There was no need to finesse a storm one could simply obliterate. That had always been his way.