Chapter 257

Chapter 258. Royal Court Meeting (3)

As soon as Keter heard the name “Misteltein,” he was visibly startled.

“Misteltein!”

“Judging by your reaction, you seem to know what it is?”

“No. I’m surprised because I don’t know. Just by the name, it sounds like an artifact.”

“It’s understandable you wouldn’t know. Even the head of Sephira’s family probably doesn’t know.”

“You even figured out something my father doesn’t know. So, what is it?”

“First, I apologize for being presumptuous, but this information isn’t 100% certain.”

“Is it at least over 90%?”

“Barely.”

“Then it’s fine. Tell me.”

“Misteltein is likely referring to an arrow.”

“An arrow for a bow?”

“Yes. But it’s not an ordinary arrow—it’s an arrow capable of killing a god.”

Keter let out a hollow laugh at Maknun’s words.

“Maknun. If it’s a divine weapon capable of killing a god, it would be classified as one of the Five Great Treasures. Even if the name suggests it, no one knows if there are truly five of them, and the ones we do know about aren’t easy to obtain. Even the Emperor of the Empire wouldn’t have access to them.”

For example, the Necronomicon, one of the most well-known Five Great Treasures, requires gathering five ‘books’ to create. And to create even one of those books, you need to find and combine multiple ‘documents.’

Even after gathering all five books, the Necronomicon doesn’t immediately come into existence. A special ritual must be performed.

Only after completing this entire process does the Necronomicon gain the power to kill a god. Yet, this Misteltein arrow supposedly has that power inherently.

“Well, it makes sense that something so absurdly powerful would make Lilian target Sephira. So, this Misteltein is in Sephira, and Lilian wants it back?”

“Not just wants it back—she wants to reclaim it. The arrow was a gift from the Queen to the first head of Sephira.”

“Huh, so she wants to take back what she gave? Why not just ask for it outright?”

“Brother, you can say that easily, but nobles aren’t like that. Especially the Queen, who’s the head of those nobles. For someone who calls herself a god, asking for it back would hurt her pride, don’t you think?”

“To summarize, Lilian needs the god-killing arrow, Misteltein, but her pride won’t let her ask for it back directly, so she’s trying to bring down Sephira to reclaim it naturally?”

“Whether she needs Misteltein or not isn’t certain. But wanting to reclaim it naturally is the key point of my deduction.”

“So, if we give Misteltein to Lilian, she’ll leave Sephira alone?”

Maknun didn’t answer immediately, pondering for a moment before speaking.

“I’ve never seen Lilian, but… you know the saying, right? You can tell a person’s character by the house they live in. And the Royal Palace is Lilian’s house. I’ve observed the palace closely.”

The fact that the only entrance to the palace is the ‘Queen’s Bridge.’

The exterior is protected by a divine barrier, preventing the use of aura and mana, but inside, it’s possible.

The palace is structured like a maze, where without a guide, you could wander forever.

Maknun shook his head firmly.

“Even if we give her Misteltein, Lilian will still destroy Sephira. That’s the kind of person… no, the kind of being she is.”

Keter nodded in agreement.

“I think so too. I’ve never seen her, but she’s a selfish woman. She needs to be killed.”

“But to kill her, we need to know where she is.”

“Can’t you figure that out for us, Maknun?”

“I don’t even need to step in. If you turn the kingdom upside down, she’ll show up on her own.”

“Hmm…!”

This time, Keter pondered before shaking his head.

“That woman won’t show up even if the kingdom turns to ashes. That’s the kind of person she is.”

“Now that you mention it, that seems likely. But waiting for her to show up feels unsettling. Waiting for the opponent to come isn’t your style, Brother.”

“Do you think we can find her? Lilian.”

“Should we look openly or carefully?”

Lilian isn’t just a beautiful woman—she’s the Queen of a nation. How can one person find a Queen that even a nation’s intelligence network couldn’t locate?

To what was clearly a joke, Keter answered seriously.

“Look carefully. Unless you’re a monarch, it’s too early to face Lilian.”

“Brother. Have you already grown into a Prime?”

“Not yet, but if I were a monarch, I’d have a way to twist and win.”

“Now that you mention it, you said before. Becoming a Prime is a realm achieved only by losing something precious. What did you sacrifice?”

“Me? Of course…”

Just as Keter was about to answer, the guide who had fainted earlier groaned.

“Ugh.”

“I’ll tell you next time.”

“Ah, Brother! I told you everything!”

“That’s why I’m not spilling everything in one day.”

Keter, now wearing an eyepatch again, forcibly woke the dazed guide and returned to his original position.

* * *

In front of the Queen’s Bridge, numerous family heads were waiting.

This was due to the Second Prince’s order the previous day, prohibiting entry to the bridge until noon.

“One minute left.”

“Sigh, what a mess because of that lunatic Keter.”

The family heads grumbled as they checked their watches. They were waiting precisely for noon, fearing Keter might reappear.

Even though there were still two days left until the family head summons, it was the Crown Prince’s call. No noble would dare enter the palace late.

If Keter stubbornly blocked the bridge, it would be a disaster.

Some family heads confident in their strength wanted to test their might against Keter, but not all family heads were strong. The heads of internal affairs families couldn’t possibly defeat the young Keter in a fight.

“12 o’clock! Noon!”

Finally, the appointed time arrived. As the leading family head took the first step onto the Queen’s Bridge—

“Sorry for being late. Were you waiting?”

Keter appeared at the end of the bridge.

“Damn it! Showing up right at noon!”

“Wait, something’s off.”

The family heads who cursed at Keter’s appearance narrowed their eyes as they saw him wearing an eyepatch.

Even with the eyepatch, a Master-level expert like Keter could sense his surroundings. As proof, Keter walked straight to the center of the bridge without any assistance.

Hesitation.

The leading family heads were from weaker internal affairs families. Naturally, they couldn’t match Keter’s strength and stepped back.

Then, a young man stepped forward. A family head as young as Keter.

“Keter, I’ve been waiting.”

The head of the Baydant family, Bolos, approached Keter with a fierce expression.

“I heard you’re blocking this bridge with your strength. I challenge you.”

Bolos had a muscular build but wasn’t particularly large. The idea of Bolos, who wasn’t known for his strength, defeating Keter, who had overpowered a northern wolf, was absurd.

Of course, Bolos didn’t plan to win through strength. He intended to kill Keter with poison.

‘Hehehe, Keter. Other family heads foolishly engaged in your strength contests, but you’ll die by my hand here. Even if I kill you, you and Sephira can’t do anything.’

Planning to disguise Keter’s death as an accident during the strength contest, Bolos had applied extreme poison under his nails.

Once they locked hands in the contest, he would stab Keter’s hand with his nails.

‘This poison can kill even a 5-star Master or an Ogre in an instant.’

Even with many family heads watching, Bolos’s eyes gleamed with murderous intent.

“Ah, about that. I’ve decided not to do it anymore.”

“Good, you’ve come to your senses… what?”

Swish.

Keter stepped aside and pointed to the other side of the bridge.

“As you can see, my eyes are like this now. I can’t do foolish things anymore.”

Keter pointed to his eyepatch. Bolos, of course, exploded in anger.

“Do you think that excuse will work now!”

Bolos ripped off Keter’s eyepatch. The family heads gasped.

“That, that scar?”

A clear scar ran across Keter’s eyes. Keter covered his eyes with his hand.

“Ugh, this is awkward. The wound hasn’t fully healed yet.”

“What nonsense…!”

Bolos didn’t believe Keter had suddenly gone blind. He was about to shout that this was all an act when the guide who had followed Keter shouted instead.

“Lord Keter lost his sight fighting a Dark Mage who infiltrated the palace yesterday. The palace was deeply impressed by Lord Keter’s contribution and ordered us to treat him as an honored guest.”

“…!”

This was the testimony of a palace guide. It was impossible not to believe.

“Finding and fighting a Dark Mage who infiltrated the palace in half a day? Does that even make sense! Do you all believe this!”

Bolos, grabbing Keter’s collar, shouted.

Keter grabbed Bolos’s wrist and twisted it.

“Don’t believe it if you don’t want to. And just because I’m blind doesn’t mean I’ve weakened.”

“Ugh!”

Bolos struggled, but there was no way he could break free from Keter’s grip.

‘Now’s the time!’

Bolos seized the moment to drive his poisoned nail into Keter’s skin. He had sharpened his nails like blades, capable of easily cutting human skin.

…or so he thought.

‘My, my nail won’t go in?’

The poison Bolos prepared only worked if it entered the body. But his nail couldn’t pierce Keter’s skin at all.

“Stupid! These nails can tear through leather!”

In his panic, Bolos blurted out his thoughts.

Keter tightly gripped Bolos’s wrist and brought it to his mouth.

“Why are you scratching my hand? Are you into that?”

“N-no, that’s not…!”

Bolos tried to explain, but Keter didn’t listen.

“Even if I were into that, you’re not my type!”

Thud!

Keter forced Bolos’s fist into his own mouth.

“Gah, gahhh!”

Not only was the area around his mouth torn, but Bolos’s tongue was also cut by his own nails. Tears welled up in his eyes.

Thud!

Keter kicked Bolos and addressed the watching family heads.

“He started it, right?”

Then he turned his back, picked up Decameron, and left the bridge.

The family heads stared blankly at Keter, who had appeared and disappeared like the wind, before slowly starting to cross the bridge. They glanced at Bolos, trembling in the middle of the bridge.

“This is the usual end for lunatics.”

“He dug his own grave, Bolos.”

Bolos had a bad reputation among the family heads. Rumors spread quickly among nobles, especially bad ones.

The rumor that Bolos had schemed against Patra of the Baydant family to forcibly become the head was almost true, so the family heads didn’t treat Bolos as an equal. A parricide. Nothing more, nothing less.

Moreover, they didn’t think Bolos was seriously injured. His mouth was just a little torn from his fist entering it. Unaware of the poison on his nails, they thought he was exaggerating.

As everyone passed by without helping Bolos, one person stopped.

“That’s why I told you not to act recklessly.”

It was Nether, the Empire’s solver hired by Bolos.

“Ugh, ughhh!”

Bolos, with his mouth torn and unable to speak properly due to the poison. But Nether somehow understood him.

“Antidote, right? I prepared some just in case.”

Nether showed a small vial from his pocket. A glimmer of hope appeared in Bolos’s eyes.

“But it’s not for you.”

“…?!”

“Just die, Bolos. It’ll be more helpful that way.”

“Ugh, ughhh!”

As Bolos made a final desperate struggle, passing family heads glanced over, wondering what was happening.

Nether quickly pulled out a cloth and stuffed it into Bolos’s mouth.

“Lord, calm down! If you keep trying to speak, the bleeding will get worse.”

Pretending to be a loyal servant concerned for his lord’s well-being, Nether carried Bolos on his back. He whispered so only Bolos could hear.

“Don’t worry. I’ll continue to handle Keter as per the contract. Even if you die, Baydant will continue to support our mercenaries. I’ve already forged your signature to manipulate the documents.”

Twitch, twitch!

As the poison spread rapidly due to his agitation, Bolos could only twitch, unable to speak.

Nether gave his final farewell.

“That’s why the caterpillar should’ve stuck to eating mulberry leaves.”

Bolos bowed his head deeply. It looked as if he had fallen asleep from exhaustion.

A quiet death, unbefitting an ambitious man who killed his own father for power and sought to bring down a family.

* * *

The family head summons period ended.

Despite the declaration of Duke Lerkin’s candidacy and the Dark Mage’s intrusion, the palace proceeded as if nothing had happened.

Royal Court Meeting.

The family head summons was ultimately for this meeting. All the family heads of the nation gathered to determine the nation’s fate.

Royal Palace Conference Hall.

At the head sat the Crown Prince Rukan, the convener. To his right was the Second Prince Rakan, and to his left was Duke Lerkin, the head of the palace’s new faction.

Below the head seat was a long staircase, where family heads from across the nation sat according to their rank.

Common noble family heads sat on the lower levels, closer to the ground. Middle nobles sat in the middle seats, and upper nobles sat at the top.

Among the upper nobles, the heads of prestigious families sat closest to the royals.

All the family heads sat nervously, holding their breath. They didn’t know why the Crown Prince had convened the meeting, but it couldn’t be for a trivial matter. The fact that the meeting was held suggested that at the very least, ‘war’ was being considered.

Hisop, attending in place of Basil, also felt dizzy. Hundreds of family heads had gathered.

On either side were the heads of the nation’s most powerful military families.

And above him, the nation’s highest authority, the princes, looked down on him. It would be abnormal not to be nervous in such a situation.

‘Keter. What would you do?’

Thinking of Keter, Hisop strangely found himself smiling in this situation.

Just before the meeting began, Hisop asked Keter for advice.

“Give me some advice, Keter. What mindset should I have going into the Royal Court Meeting?”

Keter shrugged and said, “You’re the head of Sephira’s family. Do as you please.”

Hisop knew. He knew Keter’s position in Sephira and the extent of his influence.

Frankly, if Keter wanted something, Hisop had no choice but to comply.

But Keter had made it clear he didn’t want that.

Hisop felt grateful to Keter for recognizing him as the family head. No matter how much others tried to sow discord by suggesting Keter was the next head, Hisop never doubted him.

‘Thank you, Keter. For believing in me.’

Just as Keter believed in him, Hisop believed in Keter.

Hisop took a deep breath. His narrow vision cleared, and his dizziness subsided.

Thud, thud, thud!

Then, the Crown Prince struck the gavel. The already tense family heads straightened their backs.

“The 92nd Royal Court Meeting begins. All family heads, rise.”

The meeting that would change the fate of Sephira and the Lilian Kingdom had begun.