VOLUME 15: CHAPTER 35

VOLUME 15: CHAPTER 35

After saying goodbye to her father and brothers, Princess Vivienne decided to accompany Lark Marcus to the Kingdom of Lukas.

As the sole daughter of the King of Thornforge, Princess Vivienne had experienced privilege and luxury all her life. She’d attended royal banquets where nobles vied for her attention, ridden in gold-trimmed carriages drawn by white stallions, and watched countless magical displays performed by the kingdom’s finest mages.

She could say she’d experienced nearly everything there was in life due to her status as a royal.

But never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that one afternoon, she would find herself soaring through the open sky, crossing borders not by road or sea, but by pure magic.

“Wow.”

The single word that escaped her lips was half breath, half wonder. The wind rushed past her, carrying the scent of grass and distant rain. Beyond, the landscape unfolded in breathtaking clarity. Patches of farmland glimmered under the sun, forests stretched like oceans of green, and rivers wound through the hills like threads of silver.

Directly below them, the capital of the kingdom shimmered in the afternoon light. Slender towers reached toward the sky, their rooftops gleaming like scattered jewels. From this height, the bustling streets looked peaceful—tiny dots of people and carriages moving through winding roads that seemed drawn by hand.

Vivienne’s eyes widened, her breath catching in awe. “It’s so different from what I imagined!” she murmured excitedly. “I’ve seen the capital a thousand times, but never like this!”

Lark, hovering effortlessly beside her, only said, “Perspective changes everything.”

For a moment, she said nothing, letting his words sink in. The sunlight brushed her hair, and the rush of air filled her ears with a sound like distant waves. Her lips curved as she gazed at the world beneath her—so small, so fragile, and yet so alive.

“This… might be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” she whispered.

Lark perfectly understood her reaction.

He remembered the first time he’d used flight magic in his previous life. Just like her, he had also been utterly amazed by the sensation of weightlessness—the freedom of severing all ties to the earth. It was then he understood the sheer vastness of the world and how fleeting and insignificant a single human life was.

Lark said, “We’ll drop by Blackstone City first, Your Highness.”

She’d done some research regarding Lark and knew that he had started as the lord of a mere town before ascending the throne.

“Blackstone City?” she said. “Is that the territory you governed before you became king? Ah, also, just call me Vivienne.”

“Alright. If that’s what you want.” Lark smiled faintly. “Yes, it’s that territory. Blackstone City… it has a special place in my heart.”

He meant it.

Although years had passed since he’d become the King of Lukas, he could still remember the time when he first woke up in this body and wandered the rundown town.

His town of exile and beginning.

His first winter in this world remained vivid, and he could still remember the expressions of his subjects back then when he announced that he would open the coffers to recruit workers and feed his subjects. He remembered how stupefied his vassals were, especially his butler.

‘Gaston… I wonder how he’s doing. I hope he’s living a happy and fulfilled retirement.’

They’d come a long way since then.

The town, whose population hardly reached a thousand, had turned into a city and become home to tens of thousands of people. The unused lands around the territory had turned into massive fields, walls even taller than the capital’s stood, and a barrier capable of blocking breath attacks enclosed the entire city.

Moreover, Blackstone City had become not just an agricultural territory but also a major trading hub between the Elven Kingdom and the Kingdom of Lukas.

Truly, what began as a forgotten settlement had become a heartbeat of trade and power.

The people he’d left behind in Blackstone City continued his legacy, and even now, the city prospered without him.

Like a father who had seen his children grow up properly, Lark couldn’t help but feel proud.

“I left behind a team of investigators,” said Lark. “If everything went well, they’re probably back in Blackstone City by now. I need to meet them. Are you ready, Princess?”

“I told you, just call me Vivienne,” she said, pouting.

Lark laughed. “Yes, Vivienne.”

“I’m ready. We can go anytime, Lark.”

“Since this is your first time flying, I’ll give you the full experience. I’ll protect only your face.”

Lark’s lips slowly twisted into a mischievous grin. When Princess Vivienne saw that, she started having second thoughts about flight magic. She couldn’t help but have a foreboding feeling.

“O-On second thought…”

Lark skillfully manipulated the mana around them, and without warning, together with Princess

Vivienne, he shot toward the direction of Blackstone City.

He made sure to add a little bit more speed this time.

“W-Waiiiit! Kyaaaaaaaahhhhh!”

***

It was already nighttime when they arrived at Blackstone City.

Within the first hour, Princess Vivienne had already gotten used to the sensation of flying, and she truly enjoyed the hours of travel all the way here.

“So, this is Blackstone City…!”

It was a mesmerizing sight.

Princess Vivienne gawked at the massive walls enclosing the city and the translucent barrier that shimmered faintly under the moonlight. The battlements stood like the spines of a slumbering beast, carved from dark brown stone that seemed to drink the light around it. Towering watchtowers loomed at even intervals, their braziers casting rippling amber hues over banners marked with the sigil of Blackstone City.

Beyond the outer wall, she could make out the gleam of tiled roofs and the faint glow of countless lanterns and kalrane stones.

The city pulsed with quiet life, its streets laid out in graceful symmetry. Stone-paved roads, wide enough for several carriages to pass abreast, wound through districts devoted to trade and craft.

She glimpsed merchant stalls still lit despite the late hour, horses tethered beside resting carriages, and guards patrolling with disciplined precision.

From above, the heart of the city resembled a star of obsidian and gold, its avenues converging toward a great square where the mansion that Lark once lived in stood.

“…Amazing.”

If a city located in the middle of the wilderness was already like this, she could only imagine what the capital of the Kingdom of Lukas looked like.

Lark said decisively, “Let’s go. We’ll skip the main entrance.”

Due to his popularity, Lark knew that they would gather needless attention if they entered through the main gate. So instead, he flew straight to the mansion near the heart of the city. Upon arrival, he asked the servants about the whereabouts of the investigation team.

It didn’t even take an hour before the members of the investigation team arrived at the mansion.

And when Lark saw Lady Alice’s condition, his voice turned cold.

“What happened?” said Lark.

The members of the investigation team—Captain Symon, Elias Farsight, the seven Scylla heads, Arcturus, and Lady Alice—found it hard to meet Lark’s eyes.

Although they had managed to retrieve the bloodstone fragments, they failed to capture the thief, and they’d even lost several royal knights during the battle.

Some of them wondered who the woman standing next to Lark was, but they were too ashamed to ask. Even the seven old men were uncharacteristically silent this time.

“About that…” said Elias, sighing. “We apologize, Your Majesty. We managed to retrieve the bloodstone fragments, but we let the culprit escape.”

“I don’t care about that,” said Lark. He stepped forward and stroked the head of an elderly woman. He asked softly, “Lady Alice. What… what happened to you?”

When they last parted ways, Lady Alice still looked youthful—a bright yet fiery woman in her early thirties. But now, she looked like an elderly woman in her nineties. Her back had become arched, and she had to use a walking stick to keep herself from falling down. Moreover, her brown-red hair had turned entirely white.

“We encountered the Wandering Sage. It’s really her, I’m certain of it,” explained Lady Alice. “Several royal knights died during our encounter, and Captain Symon nearly lost his life. I had no choice but to use my trump card in order to win that fight. I had to use my remaining life force to mobilize the strongest undead of Aravark.”

Lark didn’t miss the self-mocking tone in her voice.

This woman…

Instead of worrying about her dwindling life force, she was more concerned about having failed the mission entrusted to her by Lark. In her current state, it wouldn’t be surprising if she suddenly didn’t wake up from her sleep one day.

She looked so frail, as though a single push would break her.
Seeing her in this state, Lark felt a sharp sting in his chest—not just sorrow, but something heavier.

He hadn’t known Lady Alice for long, yet every time he looked at her, he saw traces of the woman who once stood at his side in another lifetime—his disciple, her ancestor.

The same stubbornness.

The same unwavering loyalty.

Even the same habit of smiling whenever she was on the verge of collapsing.

He drew a quiet breath, his hand tightening at his side. “You shouldn’t have done this,” he said, his tone low and controlled, but the edge of anger slipped through. “Your life isn’t something you can just throw away for my sake.”

“King Lark, please don’t blame yourself,” she said, smiling. Unlike before, wrinkles now formed on her face. Still, her eyes retained their youthful vigor. “I’d already resolved myself for things like this when I decided to accompany you.”

She must have consumed nearly all of her remaining life force that day.

Had Lark known she would do that, he would have excluded her from the investigation team.

No amount of bloodstone fragments would replace the years she’d lost because of that incident.

“God Evander!”

“Please punish us!”

“We’ve failed to capture that bitch! That… that Wandering Hag or whatever her name is!”

The seven heads knelt, then prostrated on the ground before Lark. Instead of making excuses, they simply apologized, asking Lark to punish them for their blunder.

Elias Farsight and Captain Symon also knelt. Just like Blackie, they apologized for failing to capture the culprit and for losing so many royal knights. Arcturus, on the other hand, lowered his head in shame.

“As the leader of the investigation team, everything is entirely my fault. If you are to punish someone, please punish me!” said Elias Farsight.

“I am equally guilty! Not only did I fail to capture the thief, I also allowed my men to die under my watch!” said Captain Symon.

"It seems I still have a lot to learn," said Arcturus. "When I meet that person again, things will be different. I swear."

The bloodstone fragments no longer mattered at this point. Even if they had failed to retrieve them, Lark would no longer care. What mattered most was the current state of the members of the investigation team.

Honestly, the mere fact that they had managed to retrieve the items from the Wandering Sage was already a great feat.

Their opponent was the undisputed strongest in the entire world, after all.

Lark rubbed his brow and said, “Enough. All of you, stand up.”

Seeing that no one heeded his command, Lark repeated in a firmer tone, “None of this is your fault. Stand up.”

After everyone stood up, Lark sighed. He looked at Lady Alice’s frail appearance again. He really wanted to embrace her, but he was afraid of accidentally crushing her bones with his strength.

Trying to lighten the atmosphere a bit, Lark diverted the topic.

“Before I hear about what happened, let me introduce this woman beside me,” said Lark. “She’s Princess Vivienne, the sole daughter of His Majesty, King Gram of Thornforge.”
The seven heads were the first to react to their master’s statement.

“A political prisoner?”

“Moreover, the sole princess!”

“As expected of God Evander!”

“Kekeke! Now Thornforge will have no choice but to bow down to us!”

For a moment, Lark regretted telling these seven old men to stand up so soon. Maybe he should have let them prostrate on the ground longer—at least until he was done with his short introduction.

“It’s nothing like that,” clarified Lark. “Just think of it as a show of sincerity from Thornforge’s side. She’s not a political prisoner but an important guest. I want everyone to remember that. Treat her with respect. From now on, she’ll serve as one of the royal secretaries like Secretary Irene and Mokuva Boris.”

Hearing that she would be holding such an important position in the future, the gazes of everyone present shifted. Although they wouldn’t admit it, everyone here was a bit terrified of the royal secretary. Hopefully, she wouldn’t become a demon like Secretary Irene in the near future.

After Secretary Irene realized that King Lark would go to great lengths to ensure her safety, she changed drastically.

Now, she had become something akin to an overbearing grandma—always nagging and frequently pointing out various mistakes seen only by her.

Even the seven heads avoided her after meeting her once before, and some of the nobles feared her more than they feared Lark Marcus.

“It’s an honor to meet all of you,” said Princess Vivienne. She perfectly executed a curtsy. “I am Vivienne, Princess of Thornforge.”

“Likewise, Your Highness,” said Captain Symon. “It’s our pleasure to meet you, Princess.”

The others followed suit and introduced themselves to her.

After the introductions, Lark immediately went to the most urgent topic—what happened during the investigation.

“Tell me everything,” said Lark to the members of the investigation team. “What happened back then, and how Lady Alice was reduced to this state.”

Sensing the anger in Lark’s voice, everyone took their reports seriously. Even the seven old men stayed silent at the side as Elias Farsight and Captain Symon recounted everything.

By the time they were done recounting the events that transpired that day, Lark was already burning with rage inside.

Not only did that bitch try stealing the bloodstone fragments, but she also killed a dozen royal knights, nearly killed Captain Symon and Elias Farsight, and forced Lady Alice to consume a significant portion of her remaining life force.

Normally, Lady Alice would die while retaining her youthful body, but the amount of life force she had used up in a short period dismantled the witch’s ritual, quickly reverting her organs to their original age—some deteriorating even beyond that.

She was basically in a far worse state than she would have been had she aged naturally.
It was no exaggeration to say that right now, she was no different from a moving corpse.

“The Wandering Sage,” said Lark.

That person’s sins were too numerous to count.

Lark silently swore that he would make her pay for what she had done once he met her.

Impenetrable defense? Even her seemingly invulnerable body would crumble once she met the Sword of Morpheus or the Maginus.

“King Lark,” said Lady Alice.

“Lady Alice.”

“I have only two years to live at most. I can feel it. So please allow me to spend my remaining days with you.”

Hearing those words, Lark could no longer hold back. He gently embraced Lady Alice, careful not to injure her. He whispered, “Of course.”

Some people might say not to take her with him—that in her current state, she would only be a burden.

But Lark never once thought that way.

If she wished to stay by his side during the remaining years of her life, Lark would gladly comply. As for the danger, Lark would make sure she remained safe even should war break out.

“Can I ask for a favor?” said Lady Alice, her voice hoarse unlike before.

“Anything.”

“Please help me return the corpse of Louvienne Antasha to Aravark.”

The meager amount of life force left in Lady Alice would allow her to use the strongest undead for only a couple of minutes at most. In her current state, she deemed it wiser to return the undead now to prevent any accident from occurring in the future.

The last thing she wanted was to die without being able to return the witches’ trump card to the new leader.

“I’ll make sure it reaches the witches,” said Lark.

“Thank you,” said Lady Alice.

Lark carefully hugged her a bit tighter.

“Rest for now, Lady Alice,” said Lark. “Everyone, tomorrow we’ll leave for Behemoth City.”

Finally, after visiting the nations in the southern continent, it was time to return to the kingdom’s capital.

The moment Lark arrived at the capital, he planned to issue a bounty for the Wandering Sage.