The Morning Star was the knight order directly led by the Arrogant Savior.
Arataso had been one of the knights belonging to that Morning Star.
"Then, after the Arrogant Savior was sealed in the Phenomenal World, the knight order was disbanded?"
At Zeke's question, Arataso fell silent for a moment before nodding.
[At first, we waited for the Arrogant Savior to return. But the situation in the Demon Realm began to turn dire. My comrades and I were attacked by the other lords, and in the end, we had no choice but to make a decision.]
Arataso went on to explain that in the process, many had been annihilated or had their souls absorbed by other avatars.
The demons, who had been eyeing opportunities, invaded the Arrogant Savior's camp— the strongest faction—and expanded their own territories.
It was in that process that the current lords had risen to prominence.
The Clear Verdant Aspiration, who was a vassal of the Arrogant Savior and the captain of the Morning Star, led the surviving members of the Morning Star to Mephistopheles's camp.
Since Mephistopheles was a constellation who had already established a powerful domain called Pandemonium, he could protect them from attacks by the other lords.
He had long coveted the Arrogant Savior's knight order, the Morning Star, and had proposed to the Clear Verdant Aspiration that they join his domain.
In the end, for survival, the Clear Verdant Aspiration decided to become Mephistopheles's vassal.
Recalling those times, Arataso said,
[After the war in the Demon Realm ended, the other archdemons grew wary of our power shifting toward the Demon Archlord. They feared that if we regained our strength, the Demon Archlord might become as powerful as the Arrogant Savior.]
They had formed a non-aggression pact regarding each other's domains and had insisted on sealing the power of the Clear Verdant Aspiration, the captain of the Morning Star.
Because of that, Arataso, who had possessed the power of a top-tier demonkind, had been downgraded to the level of a mid-rank demonkind.
Even so, Arataso, as a knight of the Morning Star and the Clear Verdant Aspiration's first squire, had retained his knightly title and received a fief from him to manage.
Arataso had led the scattered members of the Morning Star and the demonkind of the former Babel, who had become refugees, to the Clear Verdant Aspiration's territory in his stead, while his power was sealed.
The Clear Verdant Aspiration's territory bordered Abaddon, ruled by the Lord of the Abyss, so conflicts always arose, but even so, they steadfastly defended their domain and protected those under their command.
Listening to Arataso's words, Zeke understood why he had remained at the mid-rank demonkind level.
"The reason you responded to Narak's summons and came to the Phenomenal World was to break the seal on your former lord, the Arrogant Savior?" At those words, Arataso shook his head.
[I am one who has pledged loyalty to the Clear Verdant Aspiration. The lord sealed by the archdemons requires more souls than other constellations. I responded to their summons because I needed the souls that Narak offered.]
As a vassal of the Clear Verdant Aspiration, the stronger his lord became, the more power Arataso himself could wield.
But conversely, due to the pact with the archdemons, with the Clear Verdant
Aspiration's power sealed, not only the constellation himself but also his vassal Arataso faced limitations in exerting their strength.
It seemed difficult to find a solution within the Demon Realm, so he had made a contract with Narak to bring souls to offer to the constellation.
Zeke pondered Arataso's words before slowly opening his mouth.
"If I absorb the Arrogant Savior's soul, will the vassals who once followed him come to follow me?"
At that, Arataso shook his head.
[It's not necessarily so. Loyalty in the Demon Realm is different from that in the Phenomenal World. If you desire it, you must demonstrate the dignity of a lord to the vassals once more and seize it with your own power.]
"Hmm, I see. What about you, Arataso? If I attain the rank of a lord, will you pledge your true loyalty to me?"
Arataso fell silent at Zeke's question.
Zeke chuckled at the sight.
"Well, expecting a loyalty oath from a demonkind is laughable in itself." But then.
[If you attain the qualifications of a lord.] Arataso looked at Zeke and continued.
[I will ask my lord, the Clear Verdant Aspiration, to become your vassal.] Zeke was rather surprised by Arataso's words.
"Are you serious?"
Arataso nodded firmly.
[I have watched you grow while sealed in the sword. You, who have begun to attain divinity by transcending the transcendent realm in a human body, are fully qualified to rule as a grand lord. Above all, I judge that you would be better than the inscrutable Demon Archlord.]
Demonkind who had survived the harsh environment of the Demon Realm were accustomed to the way of the strong.
Arataso had recognized Zeke's power, who had grown as strong as the constellations.
Zeke nodded at those words.
"It's unexpected, but it's welcome news. Very well, Arataso. I gladly accept you as my subordinate."
[...If only you didn't have this side to you.] Zeke laughed once and continued.
"By the way, Arataso, do you perhaps know where the Arrogant Savior's sealed body is hidden? As his former knight, you might be able to sense his power." At that, Arataso slowly nodded.
[Actually, until I heard the words of the Demon Realm princess earlier, even I was uncertain. The soul of the Arrogant Savior sealed in the Phenomenal World. I think I know where it is.]
Zeke was startled by Arataso's words.
"Is that true?"
He had thought that if Arataso could just uncover a clue to the location of the Arrogant Savior's sealed body, that would be enough, but to pinpoint the exact location was beyond his expectations.
He looked at Zeke and continued.
[Narak's high priest.]
The glow in Arataso's eyes within the helmet sharpened.
*
Thud thud thud thud!
Baron Draker, the captain of the Black Stage, arrived in Mycenae leading the Black Stage operatives.
By the time he arrived, the war had already ended.
Seeing the broken outer ramparts of Mycenae and the traces of the fierce battlefield, Baron's expression hardened.
The damage to Mycenae was almost nonexistent, far less than he had anticipated.
'The demonkind invasion stopped midway.'
According to Baron's expectations, at least half of Mycenae should have been destroyed, and if lucky, the entire city.
But seeing Mycenae, with only the outer ramparts collapsed and otherwise largely undamaged, already begun reconstruction, Baron sensed that something had gone wrong.
As Baron and the Black Stage operatives, their expressions stern, tried to enter the castle of Mycenae.
Thud thud thud thud!
A group of knights appeared before them.
At first, he thought they were the Black Sword Knight Order stationed in Mycenae, but the banner they carried bore a different emblem.
Upon confirming the emblem, Baron's eyes narrowed.
'Knight of Steel.'
The one who appeared was none other than Helen Draker, a direct line of the Draker Family and bearer of the epithet Knight of Steel.
Behind Helen were her Iron Knight Order and Kali's White Silver Knight Order.
She approached, glaring at Baron with a sharp expression.
"It's been a while, Sir Baron."
Black Stage operatives generally did not hold knightly titles, so they were not addressed as "sir."
However, Baron, the only Black Stage captain in history to receive a knighthood from the family head, could be called "sir."
This showed how much trust Baron had from Arthur Draker as his most trusted confidant.
Baron bowed his head toward Helen in greeting.
"I trust you've been well, Lady Helen."
Even at his greeting, Helen's expression remained stern.
She said to Baron,
"I heard that you led the Black Stage operatives and Draker knights to advance on
Kanus and assault the Valdek Family."
At Helen's words, Baron nodded with an unchanged expression.
"We discovered evidence that Wolfgang Valdek, head of the Valdek Family, was colluding with the traitor Ramon Siemens, and took immediate action." At that, Helen's expression grew even fiercer.
"Are you saying you acted without reporting the betrayal of Draker's greatest blood oath family and the subsequent measures to Kali Draker, the family head?"
At Helen's pressing words, Baron replied in a dry, even tone.
"Lady Kali has not yet ascended to the family head seat. Until the council of elders approves, I hold the authority for summary execution as the proxy of the previous family head, Sir Arthur Draker."
Helen ground her teeth at Baron's words.
With Zeke yielding the family head seat to Kali, her ascension was a foregone conclusion.
Kali was already handling the duties of the Draker family head.
But as he said, formally, the elders' approval was needed to officially proclaim it.
The problem was that the elders kept delaying the approval with various excuses.
In that situation, Baron had suddenly assaulted and exterminated one of Draker's major blood oath families, the Valdek Family, without any report.
Kali suspected that the council was deliberately delaying the approval to allow Baron to retain his summary execution authority.
Helen glared at Baron and said in a sharp voice,
"Lady Kali will not overlook the matter of the Valdek Family."
At that, Baron bowed his head and said,
"Everything I do is for the Draker Family. I only hope that Lady Kali will understand my loyalty."
Having served as Black Stage captain for a long time, Baron deftly navigated Helen's provocation.
Realizing she would be ensnared if she continued, Helen changed the subject.
"The situation in Kanus hasn't been resolved yet, so why have you come to Mycenae?"
Baron looked at Helen and said,
"It's a classified matter, so I cannot disclose it."
At that, Helen furrowed her brow and retorted,
"Are you saying there's a secret you can't even tell the Guardian Knight of Draker?"
With Kali succeeding to the family head seat, she had appointed Helen as Guardian Knight.
Helen, who had successfully performed her duties as a knight in the Draker Family and reached the red knight realm, was fully qualified for the Guardian Knight position.
Thanks to that, even without the council's approval, Kali could appoint Helen as Guardian Knight.
Nevertheless, Baron shook his head.
"I'm sorry, Lady Helen. The Black Stage is a direct unit under the family head and has the right to refuse all orders except those from the family head." It meant he would never reveal why he had come to Mycenae.
Helen ground her teeth at Baron's rigid attitude.
But then.
"Then, if it's an order from the family head, you can reveal what the secret is." Kali Draker, clad in white silver armor, appeared behind Helen.
As Kali appeared, Helen and the members of the Iron Knight Order and White Silver Knight Order dismounted and bowed to her.
"We greet the family head!"
Even Baron, whose expression had shown no change, had his eyes flicker faintly at the sudden appearance of Kali.
Kali looked at Baron and the Black Stage operatives, who showed no reaction to her, and said,
"Baron Draker, you show no courtesy even upon seeing the head of the Draker Family." At that, Baron replied in a dry voice,
"Lady Kali has not yet formally ascended to the family head seat."
Kali shook her head and said,
"That's no longer the case."
She drew out a badge from her bosom.
A dragon slayer badge made of black metal with gold.
It was the badge proving she was the head of the Draker Family.
Seeing it, Baron's expression twisted slightly.
Possessing the family head's dragon slayer badge meant the council of elders had acknowledged her as family head.
Kali looked at him and said,
"Do you still intend to claim I'm not the family head?"
At her words, Baron and the Black Stage operatives immediately dismounted and bowed to Kali.
"We greet the exalted head of the Draker Family!"
Kali looked at Baron and the Black Stage operatives bowing to her and said, "As the head of the Draker Family, I command Black Stage Captain Baron Draker." Her eyes turned icy as she continued.
"Explain immediately why you brought the Black Stage operatives to Mycenae."