Hiss—
Steam billowed from the armor, and the helmet, pauldrons, and lower body sections split open.
Zeke stared in surprise at the armor's entirely new form.
"Is this Hercion too?"
Hades shook his head at the question.
"It's different from Hercion in principle. Hercion operates by converting the wearer's mana into magical energy via magic drive plates. Fine mana circuits are etched throughout the armor, so it's largely unaffected by external barriers."
"Then this one is different?"
"Yes. It simply uses a high-compression mana battery to drive its internal mechanisms, so it can move without being influenced by external barriers or mana storms. Looking at the structure... it has to be designed to fight dragons."
Zeke recalled footage from the past that showed Terakan Draker's Dragon Slayer unit wearing this armor to battle dragons corrupted by demonic energy, along with demonkind and monsters.
'With Hercion, they'd inevitably be affected by draconic tongue magic, so they developed a different kind of equipment.'
He now understood why this was exclusive gear for the Dragon Slayers.
Hades pointed to the nearby Skyfolk equipment.
"It's similar in principle, but there's one key difference."
"What is it?"
"If a Zoin wears it, they can fly."
The Zoin of today had no ability to fly.
Their sturdy beaks, powerful musculature, and unyielding spirit were what defined them.
Zeke glanced between the Dragon Slayer and Skyfolk armor before asking Hades.
"Lord Hades, is mass production of this armor possible?" Hades's eyebrow twitched at the question.
"Mass produce this? Are you planning to hunt dragons or something?" Zeke shook his head.
"Not dragons—it's just that it'd be useful against demonkind too."
Demonkind wielded not only magic but also demonic Qi arts, making them tricky opponents.
A demonkind's demonic Qi art could disrupt a knight's aura, but if they defended with this armor, even ordinary knights could handle low-rank demonkind.
After hearing Zeke's explanation, Hades pondered for a moment before nodding.
"It's not impossible."
"Really?"
"Yes. I could redesign it to simplify the structure, and as long as there are blacksmiths who can properly execute it, it's feasible. It'd take time for the redesign, and it'd cost a fortune, but..."
Golin came to mind.
'Lord Golin would probably be interested in this project.'
If he convinced Golin through Gelion and had prototypes made, then recruited skilled dwarven artisans to produce them in the Southern Archipelago, they could equip a substantial number of knights.
Zeke wasn't sure if he was truly the destined inheritor to annihilate the true Demon King, but preparing in advance couldn't hurt.
His cautious nature proved useful in an unexpected way.
As Zeke and Hades discussed various plans, someone knocked on the door.
It was none other than Yellin who entered.
"Um, Sir Zeke, do you have a moment?"
Sensing Yellin wanted to speak privately, Zeke gave Hades a brief explanation and headed to the hotel rooftop with her.
The rooftop featured a private garden for top-floor guests.
Zeke strolled through the garden with Yellin.
But Yellin just hesitated without getting to the point.
'Why was she beating around the bush like this?'
Zeke had assumed, since it had been a while since they'd seen each other, that she wanted a spar—so he'd chosen the spacious rooftop on purpose.
As he puzzled over the unexpected atmosphere, Yellin finally looked at him and spoke.
"S-Sir Zeke... I've noticed since coming here... you have so many beautiful women of marriageable age around you."
Zeke tilted his head at Yellin's words.
'Beautiful women? Who?'
Zeke had no idea, but in Yellin's eyes, women like Arina, Kay, Shadia, and Nerisa all seemed that way.
At first, she'd thought they were all romantically linked to Zeke and had been so shocked she'd wandered off on a trip without direction.
Only later did she realize it was a misunderstanding.
She was embarrassed by her mistake, but the journey had allowed her to reaffirm Zeke's feelings for her once more.
'I couldn't delay any longer, or Sir Zeke might be swept away by another woman.'
Objectively, no one could match her beauty, but lacking that awareness, Yellin grew more anxious as time passed.
True to her Ishtar warrior spirit, she'd made up her mind and decided to swing her sword.
She looked Zeke straight in the eye and voiced what she'd kept in her heart.
"Sir Zeke, what would you think of marrying me?"
The completely unexpected words from Yellin's mouth left Zeke momentarily stunned.
He collected himself and looked at her.
Despite bravely bringing up marriage first, Yellin's ears burned bright red.
Zeke asked calmly.
"Marriage out of the blue? Did the Family Head bring it up again?" Yellin shook her head vigorously.
"No, it's not that."
Zeke couldn't fathom why Yellin would suddenly raise marriage again without pressure from the Family Head.
'Had infighting broken out in the Ishtar family over the heir position?'
It was a very Draker-like thought.
If so, marrying an outsider like Zeke to pull in external support and pressure the rival faction would be an effective counter.
As Zeke mulled this over, Yellin asked cautiously.
"By any chance, Sir Zeke, do you have someone else in mind?" Zeke shook his head.
"No, there's no one particular."
Yellin's face brightened at his words.
Gathering her courage again, she pressed on.
"Then... how do I seem as a marriage partner?"
Zeke pondered her question before responding.
"If you and I married, it'd be the first union between direct lines of Draker and Ishtar, so it'd cause quite a stir. Ah, but now that I'm a heir candidate, becoming an uxorilocal sonin-law for Ishtar might be tricky."
Yellin's expression darkened with each word.
She bit her lip and said to Zeke.
"That's not what I mean. I'm asking how I seem to you as a woman."
"...?"
Zeke didn't quite grasp her point.
'What did she mean? I was considering her as the Young Family Head of Ishtar in terms of a marriage alliance.'
Frustrated that Zeke wasn't getting it, Yellin raised her voice.
"I'm asking if you have feelings for me as a woman!"
'As a woman?'
Zeke looked surprised for a moment, then fell deep into thought.
With a serious expression, he asked Yellin.
"You're asking if I love you."
Hearing the direct word "love" in Zeke's delayed response made Yellin's face flush crimson; she couldn't respond.
Overwhelmed by the weight of that single word, she backed away and fled the garden in a hurry.
Zeke stood blankly where Yellin had been moments before.
'Love.'
Having regressed after death in his previous life to seize a new chance, Zeke had never really pondered indulgent emotions like love.
He'd had relationships with women before, but they were mostly physical; he'd never truly felt love.
'Was my connection with Kay in my previous life love? No, that was more like friendship.'
After some reflection, Zeke realized he'd never experienced love in the true sense.
Still, something close had come to mind.
'Alicia.'
But even what he'd felt for Alicia was hard to call pure love.
It was a complex mix of emotions, making her more special than a lover to Zeke.
She was his friend, comrade-in-arms, and sometimes like an older or younger sister.
'Me and Alicia as lovers? I'd love to see her reaction if she heard that.'
Zeke chuckled softly, then turned his thoughts to his feelings for Yellin.
Yellin possessed beauty far beyond human limits.
Just looking at her made his heart race and his mind waver—that much was true.
But that alone didn't mean Zeke loved her.
'It would be possible to marry Yellin depending on circumstances, but if asked if I loved her... I wasn't sure.'
Moreover, Zeke wasn't confident he could give Yellin the kind of love she meant.
And so, after confirming Yellin's feelings, Zeke spent the night wrestling with new worries.
The next day, word arrived that Julius had secretly reached the meeting place.
*
Julius, famed as the Rom Empire's war hero, was a knight who had reached the red knight rank and served as Grand Marshal, renowned for his exceptional tactics and leadership.
Thus, despite the unprecedented dual role of Grand Marshal and Consul, Julius had been exceptionally approved for the Consul position.
Known as the only one who could defy the mad emperor's orders and rein him in, Julius was celebrated as the iron-blooded general.
Yet the Julius seated in the secure chamber for the secret meeting looked utterly haggard.
His face was sallow, dark circles ringed his eyes, and unkempt stubble covered his jaw.
Waiting for Zeke in this disheveled state, he wore a tense expression.
He hardly resembled the power broker who held the Rom Empire in his grasp.
Muhammad, unable to bear it, offered him a drink.
"Consul, have a sip of this. It'll warm you up."
Julius gulped down the amber liquor Muhammad handed him.
Even so, tension still gripped his face.
Julius asked Muhammad.
"Is... is this place truly secure?"
He'd asked about security several times already, but Muhammad reassured him warmly once more.
"Of course. It's heavily guarded, so Abel's side won't know a thing."
At the mention of Abel from Muhammad's lips, Julius shuddered as if seized by a fit.
"No, that bastard... that bastard will catch me and kill me. He'll skin me alive." The terror Julius felt even transmitted to Muhammad.
'What on earth had happened in Rom...'
Just then, the secure chamber door opened, and Zeke entered.
Julius, who had been trembling in his seat, shot to his feet.
"Z-Zeke Draker. Knight of Salvation..."
He gazed at Zeke like a man who'd found his savior.
He approached Zeke, holding a necklace bearing the emblem of the Sacred Wolf, the Rom Empire's religious symbol.
"Zeke Draker, I've heard you received the Blessing of the Fairy King and a revelation from the God of Light. Please, bestow your sacred blessing upon me too. I beg you." Zeke sensed Julius's condition was dire.
'He was completely broken. What had happened?'
In this state, conducting the meeting was impossible.
Zeke grabbed Julius's arm and applied buffs of healing factor and infinite stamina.
Ssssh—
As the light from Zeke's hand seeped into his body, Julius's expression eased somewhat.
"The rumors were true. I feel warmer, and my mind is calmer."
Indomitable Will would have been more effective, but the backlash upon expiration would be severe, so Zeke restored him only enough to regain composure.
With Muhammad, who had arranged the meeting, stepping out to check the situation, only Zeke and Julius remained at the table.
Zeke spoke first.
"Why did you request this meeting?"
From the looks of it, Julius desperately needed Zeke's power.
Since he was the one in dire straits, there was no need for probing.
Julius, still trembling, looked at Zeke and said.
"Kill Abel Draker—no, Abel Siemens Constantinus."