Sailing across the sea for an entire day, followed by a long journey over land, drains much strength. Yet at last, I arrive at the Veil of Gaelvorn.
The carriage stops atop a small hill overlooking the building. I step down slowly. I hand the last coin I possess to the driver. He gives a brief nod before turning his carriage around.
There is no wealth left in my possession now. It is entirely gone.
I stand for several seconds, gazing at the building from afar. The Veil of Gaelvorn appears busier than usual. People move in and out. Some patients sit on benches outside, while others lie upon simple stretchers.
I walk down toward it.
In front of the entrance, several patients are seen with bandages and wrappings covering their wounds. Low conversations blend with coughing and quiet complaints.
I do not enter immediately.
At the side of the building stands a large, shady tree. I walk toward it and drop myself beneath it. My back touches the ground. The evening breeze blows gently. For several seconds, I simply stare at the sky.
Calm.
At least on the surface.
"My child, is that truly you?!" The voice sounds loudly from the doorway.
I turn my head.
Charlotte stands at the threshold of the Veil. His eyes widen. His face clearly shows shock.
I raise a hand slightly.
"Oh, I am… fine. The wounds have completely healed. It is only that I have grown thin, Doctor," I reply softly.
Charlotte walks quickly toward me. His doctor's robe drags slightly against the ground. His expression still carries disbelief.
Nero appears behind him.
"Sir?" he murmurs quietly, looking at me with a mixture of doubt and relief.
They both stop directly in front of me.
Charlotte kneels without a word. His hands immediately touch my abdomen and chest. He examines me seriously.
"How is this possible," he says in a low voice. "Wounds that deep… fractured bones… all of it is gone?"
"It is a long story," I answer briefly.
He looks at me sharply. "You appear lighter. Your weight has dropped drastically."
"I know."
Nero observes from the side. "Are you still able to stand steadily, Sir?"
I rise slowly from the ground to prove it. My body indeed feels different. Lighter, yet also less sturdy.
"I can," I reply.
"And what about… the training?" Nero asks carefully. His tone sounds hesitant, as though afraid to offend.
I look at him.
"Whenever you are ready," I answer. "After all, this body needs muscle to support this immense power."
—
"So, what do you plan to do, Father?!" Rose asks.
Her expression hardens. She clasps her hands together on the table.
"The son of the King of Nocthollow should be captured by now," she says. "There is no new information about him."
Krieger draws a deep breath. "Until that happens, I will not appear openly. I remain within the shadows. For he has a grand design he has not yet fully carried out."
"So the mastermind behind all those special figures created—the Vanguard and the Covenant—is him?" Olivia asks.
Krieger nods.
"You yourself were once part of them. You never heard the name Johan, did you?" he asks in return.
Rose turns toward Olivia.
Olivia nods slowly. "Never directly."
"The Vanguard and the Covenant were not created by Johan," Krieger continues. "But by his father, the King of Nocthollow. In the previous generation, he was the one who established them."
He stands and walks slowly toward the window.
"A mad warrior," he continues. "He confronted all their envoys without calculation. Do you know what the outcome was?"
Rose shakes her head slowly.
"The government was utterly defeated by him!" Krieger declares firmly.
The room falls silent.
Olivia lowers her gaze before finally speaking softly, "And the Enemy of the World… is in truth the son of that Mad Warrior, Sir Krieger."
"HUH?!" Krieger turns quickly.
Rose does not interrupt.
Olivia continues, "That is what Hiro said."
Krieger looks at both of them in turn. "After the great war, I was appointed King of Gaelvorn. Yet once the great war ended, news of the Mad Warrior became scarce. There was not even a single report that he had a child. Is the Mad Warrior still alive?"
Rose shakes her head.
"Hiro said his father passed away when he was eight years old," she explains. "He lived independently after that. The discovery of the crystal happened by accident. He touched it, and on that same day, he met me through Lucy, who guided him to our village, Father."
Krieger slowly sits down again.
"I see," he murmurs.
He remains silent for a while, contemplating everything.
"It is decided," he finally says. "It is difficult for us to assist Hiro while Johan remains uncaptured."