Episode 616 In This Dream 3

It felt like the pieces of the puzzle were finally falling into place.

The Hero and the Saintess had sacrificed themselves to seal the Demonic Realm.

But those who remained must have been uneasy about leaving the Demonic Realm unattended. They needed someone to guard the place, which had now transformed into the Forest of Beasts.

The Founding King, the Shadow Knights' Commander, and the Ferdium ancestor.

These three joined forces to establish a kingdom. Among them, the Ferdium ancestor must have been the one to watch over the Forest of Beasts up close.

Over time, Ferdium likely fell into decline and became the northern border's protector as a frontier count.

This was the most plausible theory so far.

"Hmm, then what was the Shadow Knights' role?"

— "I don't know much either. All I know is that they were another 'king' of this nation..."

— "They chose to conceal their identity, becoming the ones who ruled the kingdom's nights."

— "Nothing remains, absolutely nothing. It's said that people from that era deliberately erased all records."

Much of the historical data had been lost. Even Berhem, once the king of Ruthania, didn't know the exact identity of the Shadow Knights.

The masked woman had been incredibly powerful. Moreover, as a companion of the Founding King, it wouldn't have been difficult for her to become another ruler.

For that reason, the royal family had spent generations focusing solely on weakening the power of the Shadow Knights.

— "The Shadow Knights weren't interested in power. They only cared about protecting the royal family."

"So... was it because of the relic after all?"

Ghislain had speculated similarly before. The royal family seemed determined to hide the relic, while the Shadow Knights appeared to be protecting it.

There were still many unanswered questions. Unlike before, he couldn't just ignore them anymore.

If the rumor of the adversary's resurrection was true, he would inevitably have to face it.

Even so, he didn't feel rushed. Through the dreams, he was steadily uncovering the truth. And with each revelation, he was growing stronger.

Although some things remained unclear, it seemed deliberate—as if certain truths were being withheld until the right time. All he needed to do was wait patiently.

"In any case, it means our family was deeply connected to the war a thousand years ago."

Discovering the secrets of Ferdium had been a significant gain. He had also recovered his family's lost techniques.

Zvalter would be thrilled to hear about this, but as always, explaining how he had found it would be... tricky.

"Well, I'm planning to refine it further anyway... I'll just say I figured it out myself."

As usual, he would gloss over the details. After all, no one had more information than he did, so no one could challenge his claims.

What mattered now was the Forest of Beasts.

The forest was far more important than he had initially thought. He had a strong sense that all the secrets lay within the place once called the Demonic Realm.

"At first, I only touched it to make quick money..."

Who would have thought it was such a critical place?

Now he understood why the Duke of Delphine had been so obsessed with developing the forest in his previous life, even at the cost of so many lives.

The Forest of Beasts was essentially their sacred ground. It contained the corpse of the Demon God and was the source of power for the Salvation Order.

There were likely other goals they pursued as well, but the facts he had uncovered so far were already enough to clarify many things.

From his past life until now, Ghislain had suspected there was a reason for the Duke's obsession with the Forest of Beasts. But he hadn't known the exact reason.

"Come to think of it... was that symbol meant to signify this?"

On the map he had obtained in his previous life, the center of the Forest of Beasts had been marked with a blacked-out area.

At the time, he had thought it simply meant the area was resource-poor or undeveloped. After learning about the Duke's schemes, he had suspected they were hiding something there.

Now he had a better idea. The area wasn't marked that way due to a lack of resources or because it was insignificant.

"That place must be... their most important site. Perhaps it's where the Demon God's corpse lies—or something like that."

To be honest, he didn't fully believe in the existence of a literal divine corpse. It might be a metaphor or just a fabricated story.

Still, whatever it was, something crucial to the Salvation Order was undoubtedly located there.

"We need to finish developing the Forest of Beasts."

This time was different from before. Now, he had the continent's strongest army, filled with transcendent warriors and elite knights.

Their forces were far superior to those of the Duke of Delphine during his past life. Moreover, he had the records he'd seen in his previous life.

With proper preparation, they could clear the forest in no time.

So, as long as the dragon hunt proceeded smoothly, everything would be fine.

Ghislain went over the newly discovered information in his mind once again.

There were still many gaps, but he was confident that he could uncover the rest bit by bit. The Saintess's dreams gave him that confidence.

The choice would be his, but the dream would guide him toward the paths he could take.

Still, there was one thing that bothered him.

"The Hero's companions united to found Ruthania. The Founding King, the Shadow Knights, and Ferdium."

There was one detail that didn't match what he knew.

Among that group, there was an anomaly—an entity that didn't quite fit.

Berhem had specifically said:

"They were one of the three founding families!"

The "three families" he referred to didn't include Ferdium.

"The Founding King, the Shadow Knights' Commander, and the Duke of Delphine established this kingdom together! The three families were granted equal authority!"

In Berhem's account, Ferdium was excluded, and the Duke of Delphine was included instead.

"That's why the title of Duke is exclusive to the Delphine family in this kingdom. And they have the authority to overthrow the royal family whenever necessary!"

If Ghislain's theory was correct, the authority that should have belonged to Ferdium had been claimed by the Duke of Delphine.

As this thought crossed his mind, Ghislain's eyes narrowed.

"The Duke of Delphine... What exactly are they?"

***

Meanwhile, deep within the mountains, a frail, elderly man wiped blood from his gloves.

In front of him lay dozens of corpses, scattered lifelessly on the ground.

There was no sign of resistance or struggle. The wounds were small—just tiny punctures to the neck or heart.

It was clear to anyone who saw the scene that the massacre had been swift and merciless.

While the old man calmly cleaned his gloves, a group of individuals arrived at the site.

The old man respectfully bowed his head.

"Though it's a humble place, please rest comfortably, Your Highness."

This man was the head butler of the Delphine Duchy, who had been accompanying Ernheart.

Ernheart smiled gently as he spoke.

"How much longer do you intend to call me that?"

"To me, you will always be my one and only liege."

At this, Ernheart let out a hearty laugh. The old butler's unwavering loyalty never ceased to amaze him.

"Well, who could ever change your stubborn mind? But really, did you need to handle this yourself? You could have sent the knights."

Around Ernheart stood twenty knights. They were the knights who had once served the Duke of Reinster, but in truth, they were temple knights loyal to the Salvation Order.

These knights followed the priest Gatros, not the Duke of Reinster. That was why they hadn't lifted a finger when the Duke was killed.

The old man tilted his head slightly in acknowledgment of Ernheart's question.

"Your chambers have always been my responsibility, Your Highness. It's only right that I take care of this personally."

At those words, Ernheart smiled softly.

To him, this butler was more like a parent than his actual parents had been. From the time he was a child, this man had cared for him with unparalleled devotion.

The old man had always attended to every detail, even preparing his sleeping arrangements with meticulous care. Ernheart could never bring himself to oppose this stubborn devotion.

"Yes, yes, you've always been like this. But don't push yourself too hard; you're not as young as you used to be. You'll need to stay by my side for many years yet."

"I will keep that in mind, Your Highness."

The warmth in Ernheart's gaze toward the old man was uncharacteristic for someone who had slaughtered his own extended family, including distant relatives, cousins, and even his wife and children.

"I am not yet ready to enjoy complete freedom," Ernheart murmured.

The old man lowered his head even further in response.

They were deep within the mountains, in a base once occupied by bandits. Judging by the fortifications and the numerous wooden houses, the bandits had amassed significant power.

Among the structures, Ernheart, Gatros, and the old man entered the largest and most well-maintained house.

The knights remained outside, scanning the area or standing guard.

Inside, the old man served a cup of tea to Ernheart, who had already settled comfortably. His thorough preparation was remarkable as always.

Ernheart sipped the tea with ease. For someone supposedly on the run from the allied forces, he exuded an air of absolute leisure.

As he savored the tea, Ernheart asked Gatros, "What's the next step?"

"Word of our defeat has likely spread far and wide. Once we reach the sanctuary, the surviving priests will come to us on their own."

"I see."

At the far western edge of the continent lay a quiet village—the final refuge of the Salvation Order. Only the most devout, those whose families had worshiped for generations, knew of its existence. Few would gather there.

Gatros, watching Ernheart sip tea so nonchalantly, cautiously asked, "Have your memories returned further?"

"Yes, bit by bit. The memories of a thousand years ago are seeping back in."

"That's good to hear."

"But those memories aren't mine. They're simply the power and knowledge that have been passed down through generations."

"..."

"I am me. I have my own path. Never forget that, Gatros."

"Understood, Your Highness."

A flicker of unease crossed Gatros's face.

Ernheart was a critical figure in their plans. After painstaking research and interpretation of old scriptures and oral traditions, they had found him and awakened his mission.

Yet, despite being aware of his role, Ernheart remained strangely indifferent. Unlike the rest of them, he wasn't consumed by urgency.

And then there were moments like these—where he outright denied his supposed identity.

For someone destined to lead the Salvation Order and restore its full glory, Ernheart's behavior was a constant source of frustration for Gatros.

Ernheart placed the teacup down and asked, "We tried to expedite the plan, but it only led to setbacks. In the end, we must trust the natural order. The king's arrangements have been recorded in the scriptures. What is the next sign?"

Gatros pulled out an ancient, worn book from his robes. Reverently, he flipped through the pages until he stopped at one.

"The white dragon of the end times shall reveal itself. That will mark the acceleration of the king's resurrection."

"Hmm, I see."

Ernheart nodded without much reaction.

He recalled the painting that had hung in his castle, Eclipse.

The image depicted a grotesque creature—a beast that appeared to be a mix of a dragon and a snake—crushing and devouring people.

It was a vision Ernheart had seen in a prophetic dream and later commissioned a skilled artist to recreate.

He had always enjoyed gazing at that painting, as it was deeply connected to his destiny.

When the castle was seized, the Fenris forces would have undoubtedly seen it too. But would they connect it to the events yet to come?

Of course not. Only Ernheart knew the truth about the future.

As his thoughts wandered back to his dreams, Ernheart couldn't help but wonder aloud, "How could a predetermined future change?"

He didn't doubt his dreams. They were divine revelations. Everything had unfolded as foretold.

Until suddenly, it hadn't.

What could have caused this shift?

Could humans truly alter the future?

Ernheart muttered to himself, "The king and we made countless preparations. We brought down the dragon from the skies, crushed the elves and dwarves, concealed the truth, and blinded humanity's eyes and ears."

Everything had been perfect. All they had to do was wait for the promised day.

It was a foreordained event, prophesied and set in stone.

And yet, somehow, everything had spiraled into chaos.

All because of one man.

"Fenris Duke."

The demon from his dreams had overturned everything. Ernheart still couldn't believe that this man had the power to rewrite a predetermined future.

— "You clearly know something. That's not the reaction of an ordinary person."

When Ernheart had spoken about his dreams, the Duke of Fenris had accepted them without surprise—almost as if he already knew.

That alone was enough to make Ernheart deeply curious.

"Duke of Fenris... just what are you?"

He had pondered this question endlessly but found no answer. How could a mere human dismantle the decree of the gods?

Ernheart looked down at his hands.

Crackle.

A black aura flickered and dissipated. Perhaps it was because the king had not yet resurrected. It seemed he would need more time.

To fully awaken the power of the "Apostle."