Zeke quickly armed himself and burst out of the tent.
As he had anticipated, the magical beasts were attacking the camp.
Zeke drew Roland and swung it at the charging magical beasts.
Slash—
Black smoke poured from the bodies of the beasts that Roland had sliced as they collapsed to the ground.
The Zoin tribesmen and beastmen, with their keen senses, had already detected the raid and were locked in combat.
The Zoin wielded heavy iron clubs against the magical beasts, while the beastmen slashed at them with their sharp claws.
Zeke unleashed the Sacred Radiance Technique with Roland in hand and cast an area buff.
Woooong—
The light of the Sacred Radiance Technique enveloped the bodies of the Zoin and beastmen.
"Oh?"
With the buff from the Sacred Radiance Technique, fighting the magical beasts felt much easier.
Just as Zeke was about to charge at them, something caught his eye.
He spotted a suspicious shadow atop the cliff.
The armed Zeke called out to Helen.
"Sister, I've spotted something suspicious. I'll go check it out, so please look after the others."
"Got it. Don't worry."
Zeke immediately climbed the cliff and headed upward.
But once he reached the top, the black shadows were nowhere to be seen.
'Are they the Narak bunch controlling the magical beasts?' It was then.
Whoosh!
A sudden kick came flying at him from his blind spot.
Crack!
Zeke raised his elbow to block the kick.
Knights of the central continent didn't use such body techniques.
Zeke retreated while aiming Roland at his opponent and sized him up.
The figure, clad in a black cloak and hood that obscured his face, took up a fighting stance as he eyed Zeke.
In his hands was an unusual sword somewhere between a dagger and a longsword in length.
Zeke was startled the moment he saw the sword.
'That weapon...?'
As he flinched in surprise, another attack came from his blind spot.
Whoosh!
A bastard sword sliced through the air toward Zeke's side.
Zeke parried the bastard sword aside with Roland, planted his hand on the ground in a low stance, and delivered a back kick at the swordsman.
Crunch!
Zeke's kick landed squarely on the swordsman's cuirass.
As the swordsman staggered back, the black-clad dual-wielder charged at Zeke.
Whish!
The twin swords crossed and flew toward Zeke.
Zeke spun his body and launched a kick at the black-clad man's jaw.
Crack!
The black-clad man raised his arm to block Zeke's kick and was sent flying backward.
'He pulled back before it even connected.'
Zeke immediately stood and regained his balance.
The black-clad dual-wielder and the swordsman with the bastard sword aimed their blades at Zeke.
Zeke spotted the fallen hunting dogs behind the black-clad man.
'These guys must have driven the magical beasts here.'
Zeke addressed the black-clad man and the swordsman.
"Highlanders. Lower your weapons. I'm not your enemy."
*
Second Prince Leo, who had arrived at the garrison camp for a peacekeeping forces inspection, received the report and looked baffled.
"Morgan the corps commander has vanished? What nonsense is this?"
At Leo's question, the adjutant managing the garrison wiped away cold sweat and hemmed and hawed.
"W-Well... Yesterday, he said he'd lead the knights on a patrol and hasn't been seen since."
The adjutant knew that Morgan had personally taken knights to attack the autonomous district where Zeke Draker was located.
But if that fact came out, it would reveal that the empire had directly harmed the Zoin tribe and beastmen within the neutral Ghetto, so he was concealing it.
Leo still looked puzzled and said to the adjutant.
"This is strange. A corps commander wouldn't fall to monsters."
Just then, someone entered Leo's presence without announcement.
"Hm?"
Leo frowned at the intruder who had entered without permission, then recoiled in surprise upon recognizing him.
It was Abel Draker, the black knight and guardian knight of the Draker family.
Abel bowed toward Leo.
"Abel Draker greets Your Highness."
Leo, a knight himself, was delighted to see the black knight Abel. This place was practically a battlefield, so he understood the comings and goings.
"Red Lion Sword! I've heard much of your fame. Congratulations on becoming a black knight!"
Abel approached Leo with a charming smile.
"It's an honor that Your Highness knows of me."
Abel bowed his head slightly, then drew closer to Leo and said.
"I came in haste upon hearing that Sir Morgan Buffon's whereabouts are unknown." At that, Leo nodded.
"I heard the news right after arriving. He went out on patrol and there's still no word... I can't make sense of it."
Abel erased his smile, adopted a serious expression, and spoke.
"Your Highness, I have one suspicion." Leo asked in surprise.
"Do you know what happened to Sir Morgan?"
"It's just a hunch for now... but it seems to be the work of Kali Draker's faction."
"Kali Draker? I haven't heard that the Knight of White Silver is here."
"That's why I said Kali Draker's faction. You've heard about the sudden influx of monsters here, right? And they're gathering around the site where the Zoin and beastmen are set to hold their talks. I believe it's Kali Draker's scheme. Sir Morgan may have noticed and gone to investigate, only to meet with misfortune."
"I know the situation here roughly... So you're saying Kali Draker isolated them?"
"Yes, to force them to request aid from Kali Draker and give her army a pretext to enter the Ghetto, an independent protection zone." Leo furrowed his brow and asked Abel.
"But why would Kali Draker go to such lengths to seize the Ghetto?" Abel replied with a grave expression.
"I hesitate to say this, but I believe Kali Draker plans to station troops in the Ghetto and gradually invade the southern central continent."
"The southern central continent... You mean she's targeting the empire?"
"Based on the current circumstances, that's what it seems." Leo's expression hardened at Abel's words.
The Ghetto was currently a hot potato.
If the Knight of White Silver stationed troops there and pressured the empire, the already chaotic border would become even more turbulent.
Leo pondered gravely, then a question occurred to him, and he asked Abel.
"But if they're isolated, requesting aid would be difficult too, wouldn't it? Have you seen any movements toward the Ghetto?" Abel nodded.
"Currently, Kali Draker is having Zeke Draker enter the Ghetto without her direct involvement to handle the monster subjugation."
"Zeke Draker has entered the Ghetto?" Abel nodded.
"We confirmed he obtained monster subjugation permission from the Alencia side bordering the Ghetto and entered via the border region."
"The Curse-Healer Knight... I've heard of Zeke Draker's reputation. Would he attack Sir Morgan?"
Abel shook his head.
"Your Highness, you mustn't be fooled by Zeke Draker's public image. He's a dangerous figure with the talent of a demon and the heart of a serpent. Though he's my brother, his threat grows by the day."
Leo looked at Abel with disbelief.
"But earlier you said it was just a hunch. What's making you think that?"
"Look at this."
With a snap of his fingers, soldiers outside brought in a large coffin.
When the lid was opened, the corpse of a dead Zoin lay inside.
Leo stared at Abel in shock.
"What is this?"
Abel pointed to the Zoin corpse and said.
"This is the result of Zeke Draker's atrocity. This Zoin died from mutated Red Flower Disease."
"Mutated Red Flower Disease? Didn't Alencia develop a cure for Red Flower Disease already?"
"Your Highness, the company producing that cure is the pharmaceutical firm Zeke
Draker established. He's partnering with Princess Melissa of Alencia to make it."
"I didn't know that. But what does that have to do with a Zoin who died from Red
Flower Disease? And just now, you said Zeke Draker was brought here by Kali Draker's scheme."
Abel spoke slowly.
"Their interests align perfectly with Kali Draker's. Publicly, Kali Draker still has more influence as the figurehead. Zeke Draker allied with Kali Draker and, for his own gain, magically altered the existing Red Flower Disease to create the mutated version that infects the Zoin."
"W-What?"
Abel pressed Leo relentlessly.
"By spreading Red Flower Disease to pressure the Zoin, they'll first reach out to the Alencia Kingdom. And since Zeke Draker's pharmaceutical company is the one producing the cure, the Zoin in the Ghetto have no choice but to beg him."
Abel had cleverly pinned the empire's misdeed on Zeke.
Leo's face paled at his words.
He was indeed a knight of exceptional talent, but he lacked experience.
In truth, a cool-headed analysis would reveal it was a claim full of holes without solid evidence.
But Leo saw Abel as an ally, and the unexpected story swept him up immediately.
After a moment of stunned silence, Leo slowly lifted his head and said to Abel.
"...Then what should we do, Sir Abel."
Abel replied with a solemn expression.
"First, we must strike Zeke Draker's side. Word has it he's injured and isolated in the Ghetto. We need to act now." Leo's expression darkened.
"Attacking the wounded? That goes against chivalry..."
"Your Highness, sometimes we must dirty our hands for the greater good." Abel's wicked words began to seep into the noble soul of Leo.
Leo was a knight with a strong sense of duty to protect the empire.
Abel targeted that, shaking his resolve.
"The Ghetto is currently sealed off; no one from outside can enter. Even if we strike Zeke Draker's group, we can claim it was a monster attack, and no one will suspect." Leo's expression grew even darker.
"H-How can we do such a thing in the name of the imperial army?"
Abel shook his head.
"The imperial army need not move. With Your Highness's permission, we can bring in handlers from outside."
"You mean assassins?"
"Something like that. You are in command here, Your Highness. I beseech your approval."
Leo's head spun at Abel's words.
The usual Leo would have refused outright.
But with Morgan Buffon missing and Abel's subtly unsettling words clouding his mind, he was thrown into confusion.
After agonizing, Leo slowly spoke.
"...I'll think on it a bit more."
Abel bowed to Leo and left the room.
Once outside, Abel's expression twisted like a demon's.
"Damn it. That Morgan bastard is making a simple cleanup complicated." His eyes were tinged red.
"Abel, calm down. If you lose it here and the prince notices, we're in trouble." William, waiting outside, quickly intervened.
Abel took a deep breath and subdued his agitation.
"Hoo, fine. The prince has no choice but to follow my lead. So let's attack Zeke's camp immediately."
"Right now? Proceeding without the prince's permission is risky. Don't forget Daria
Calvi, the knight of Inmagung, is coming here soon too."
Abel smirked and said.
"Even if issues arise, I can handle it directly with Julius. If we delay and Zeke slips away, it'll be a bigger headache. William, you go to the autonomous district and clean it up personally."
"Me personally? If our involvement in this comes out, what then?" At William's words, Abel's eyes reddened again.
William clenched his fist at the reaction.
He and Abel were already in the same boat.
'Damn it.'
William bit his lip, then nodded.
"Understood. What about the Zoin and beastmen who escaped the fortress? They've crawled out after all."
Abel waved dismissively.
"They chose death outside over inside the fortress. They're weakened anyway; crossing the ravine is impossible. I'll inform the handler there. Let the monsters take them, and just collect the evidence of their deaths later."
"Got it."
Abel said to William.
"William, remember: once this is done, the rest will be easier." William nodded.
"I know."
"Good. Do it right this time."
William, resigned to everything, hurried off to prepare for departure.
In the dim corridor, the red glow in Abel's eyes faded slowly.
'Zeke, this time you won't escape.'