Akaria placed her hand on her forehead, overwhelmed by shock.
"This can't be… Has the monster of the Dark Age truly returned to our world? If that is the case, then nothing would prevent the Moon Queen and the rest of those monsters from appearing as well. I can't believe what's happening… Our era could turn into an endless battlefield of war and exhaustion."
She then looked at Zorua seriously.
"Tell me, Zorua. Are you absolutely certain about this information?"
Zorua nodded firmly.
"Yes, Lady Akaria. I am certain. I conducted extensive research and reviewed every available record about the Dark Age."
He continued,
"In addition to that, I obtained two ancient books while traveling through the Heavenly Star Kingdom. These books contain extremely detailed information. Although some of their pages are missing, they still provide deep insight into that era—as if the writer had personally lived through those events."
He folded his arms.
"They are more than three thousand years old, dating back to the period when the Dark Age was beginning to fade."
Akaria remained silent for a moment before speaking gravely.
"This is a serious problem, Zorua. If what you're saying is true, then we are standing at the edge of a catastrophe."
Zorua asked carefully,
"Then what is the plan now, Lady Akaria?"
Akaria thought for a moment before answering.
"You're right. We must change our plan."
She looked directly at him.
"First, this information must remain a secret between the two of us. Nico must not know that we are investigating his past. That will give us time to think about what we should do if he ever turns against us."
Her expression hardened.
"At the same time, we must continue to benefit from his support. Right now, he is a cornerstone of our strength."
Zorua bowed his head slightly.
"Understood, Lady Akaria. You can rely on me. I will leave now so you can get some rest."
Akaria nodded.
"Thank you, Zorua. Your information was extremely valuable. We will speak again later."
Once Zorua left the room, Akaria remained awake, lost in deep thought.
*Why is all of this happening?*
*The situation grows worse every day.*
*So you truly were a monster of the Dark Age all along, Nico…*
She clenched her hand slightly.
*A catastrophe standing beside us, and we never realized it.*
*When you stood before me and challenged me that day… I sensed a strange aura surrounding you. The confidence, the overwhelming presence…*
She closed her eyes briefly.
*Who would have imagined that the man standing before me was once considered the strongest and most ferocious warrior of his era?*
*I don't even know what would have happened if I had truly fought you back then.*
Her thoughts grew heavier.
*I'm sorry, Nico… You served our team and saved our kingdom.*
*But I have no choice but to remain cautious.*
*We don't know what will happen if you recover your memories…*
*And we don't know what will become of us when that day comes.*
*So we must prepare for the possibility of facing you as well.*
*Because the safety of my team and my homeland must come first.*
---
That same night, deep beneath the Elven Kingdom, a heavily guarded prison lay hidden beneath layers of stone.
Inside one of the cells sat Nico Sigmund.
His body was bound by thick chains reinforced with mana, while magical traps surrounded the entire chamber.
Slowly, Nico opened his glowing red eyes.
Outside the bars, Elara sat on a chair, waiting patiently for him to awaken.
Her voice carried both relief and concern.
"Thank goodness you're awake, Nico… We were really worried about you."
Nico looked around calmly, trying to understand his surroundings.
"What happened? Why am I chained like this? And how long have you been here, Elara?"
Elara lowered her head apologetically.
"I'm sorry, Nico. This happened because of us. Ruler Kaizen found you just as you were about to destroy the palace. He knocked you unconscious and placed you here as a precaution."
She glanced at the chains.
"But he allowed me to come and sit here until you woke up."
Nico sighed quietly.
"So that's how it is… It seems I truly lost control."
He leaned back slightly against the wall.
"I came here to rescue you, but it ended with me confronting that demon, Ruta… I barely remember what happened after that."
Elara tried to reassure him.
"Don't worry, Nico. Everything will be fine. We'll get out of here soon."
Nico nodded slowly.
"Yes… we will leave soon."
He then looked at her again.
"But before that, tell me what happened to you. Why did you return here with Kaizen after we left you with Ruta?"
Elara hesitated before answering, her expression filled with regret.
"At that time, Nico… there was a fierce battle between Ruta and the leader of the Silver Axe, Alfred, along with his companions."
Her voice grew tense as she recalled the scene.
"The battle was so intense that Alfred unleashed a devastating attack that would have destroyed everything around it."
She lowered her gaze.
"We would have died there… if Ruler Kaizen hadn't intervened."
"He pulled us out of the battlefield instantly and moved us to a safe place."
She paused briefly.
"But from a distance… we watched him crush the Silver Axe team as if they were nothing."
Her hands tightened slightly.
"At that moment, Natalia and I were frozen in fear. We couldn't do anything at all."
Nico spoke with quiet sorrow.
"I see… It seems Alfred refused to surrender the kingdom without a fight. He died as a true warrior. I hope his soul rests in peace alongside his team."
Before he could say anything more, one of the guards interrupted him.
The prison door opened, and the guard stepped inside before beginning to remove the chains binding Nico.
"Ruler Kaizen has decided to release you," the guard said. "Come with me. The ruler wishes to see you."
Nico stood up once the restraints were removed.
Together with Elara, he followed the guard toward the throne hall.
When they entered, Kaizen stood before the throne with his back turned to them.
Silence filled the chamber.
Nico and Elara stopped several steps behind him, both feeling the heavy tension in the air.
Then Kaizen spoke in a quiet voice that echoed clearly through the hall.
"Entering an occupied kingdom and attacking my subordinates is not an acceptable action."
He paused briefly.
"That behavior violates the agreement you proposed to me. You understand that very well… don't you?"
Nico immediately dropped to one knee in respect.
Elara did the same.
"I apologize, Ruler Kaizen," Nico said respectfully. "I lost control during a confrontation with your subordinate, Ruta. I hope you will accept my apology."
Kaizen responded calmly.
"Very well. I will forgive you this time."
He turned slightly toward them.
"Since you came here to retrieve the two girls, I will allow you to take Elara with you. However, Natalia will remain here."
His voice grew firm.
"Do you have any objections?"
Nico answered immediately.
"No, of course not, Lord Kaizen. I have no objections."
"Good," Kaizen replied coldly.
"If any member of your group enters my kingdom again and causes trouble, the consequences will be far more severe."
He waved his hand dismissively.
"You may leave."
Nico lowered his head once more.
"Of course. We apologize for the disturbance, Lord Kaizen."
With that, Nico and Elara left the throne hall.
Elara looked extremely happy as they began their journey back toward the headquarters of the Black Spear.
"Thank you, Lord Nico," she said gratefully. "You truly kept your promise and came to rescue me."
Nico replied calmly.
"Yes, Elara… but I'm still frustrated that I couldn't rescue Natalia as well. For now, she will remain under Kaizen's control until we find another way to bring her back."
Tears of relief filled Elara's eyes.
"I trust you completely, Lord Nico."
Meanwhile, back inside the throne hall, Kaizen remained standing before his throne.
He slowly looked down at his hand.
A faint red glow began spreading across his palm.
"Damn it…" he muttered quietly. "I'm still not used to this."
---
At the same time, Nico walked in silence beside Elara.
His thoughts drifted back to something he had noticed earlier inside the prison cell.
*Those bloodstains on the chains…*
*They were the same kind of blood that belonged to the elves Jacker had kidnapped back then.*
*So they ended up in the Elven Kingdom…*
A sudden feeling of guilt surfaced within him.
*I've only felt this kind of emotion once before… and now it's happening again.*
He shook his head slightly.
*It doesn't matter, Nico. What matters is that the remaining Crimson Elves are safe now.*
*They are hidden in a place where no one will ever find them.*
Elara noticed his distant expression.
"Are you alright, Nico?" she asked with concern. "You look like something is on your mind."
Nico smiled faintly.
"It's nothing, Elara. I'm fine. Don't worry."
He looked ahead calmly.
"I was just thinking about a few matters concerning the kingdom."
[End of chapter 51]