Mee-ee-ee-ee!
The children of the Satyr Race, with their goat horns and legs, wailed mournfully.
It was because their village had been suddenly overrun by magical beasts, and the Satyr warriors who had tried to stop them had all been wiped out.
In a desperate attempt to save at least the children, the adults had hidden them in the gaps between the trees behind the village, but the cruel magical beasts, which resembled hunting dogs, had quickly picked up their scent and tracked them here.
The Satyr children knew they had to hold back their cries somehow, but as the beasts' harsh breaths drew closer, fear overtook them, and they cried out without realizing it.
Grrr!
The magical beasts seemed to have pinpointed their location from the cries. They turned their heads toward the trees and charged fiercely.
Kraaaah!
The beasts barreled straight toward the trees with their massive bodies, like madmen.
If they collided, even the sturdiest trees would surely have been uprooted.
The children clung to one another and wailed even louder in sorrow.
Mee-ee-ee-ee-ee!
It was just as the beasts were about to slam into the trees.
Pajijijik!
Pure white lightning struck down all around.
Krrrk!
The beasts hit by the lightning frothed viscous fluid from their mouths and collapsed onto the ground.
The crying children lifted their heads in shock at the sudden turn of events.
That was when someone approached the trees.
"The children are here."
Zeke spotted the hidden children of the Satyr Race and extended his hand toward them.
Hwaaa—
The warm golden light that flowed from Zeke's hand healed all their wounds.
The Satyr children instinctively sensed that Zeke had come to save them and shed tears of relief.
Zeke rescued all the children hidden at the base of the trees and loaded them into the waiting carriage.
The magical beasts that had attacked the village lay charred and fallen, while Tantra's soldiers finished off any survivors.
After the village struck by the magical beasts had been organized, Zeke picked up Ascalon and headed to the rear of the settlement.
There, he found an abandoned Narak altar and a neglected Gate.
Narak had installed Gates throughout the Everwinter Mountain Range, using this spot to airlift magical beasts and monsters to the Central Continent.
After Narak's collapse, the Gate left here had been abandoned, which caused the beasts controlled by the dark mages to rampage and attack nearby farms and villages indiscriminately.
Zeke decided to destroy all the abandoned Gates here to prevent Narak's remnants from sending more beasts to the Central Continent.
He immediately unleashed a bolt of light toward the visible Gate and altar.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
With a deafening roar, the Gate and altar crumbled to dust.
'This should take care of the urgent threats.'
He had prioritized the most visible dangers, so even if dark mages were hiding nearby, reopening a Gate wouldn't have been easy.
For the rest, he planned to send Titus and Yulina to stabilize the Kingdom of Tantra and devise proper countermeasures.
Though it had been unintended, having come here and subdued the Kingdom of Tantra, Zeke thought it was time to establish a branch of the trading company centered in Tantra, much like in the southern archipelago or the naga cities, even in the Everwinter Mountain Range.
The Kingdom of Tantra, rich in natural resources, had ample potential for development.
He intended to open up this long-isolated land, which had been cut off by its bloodrank caste system, and turn it into a hub connecting the Central Continent and the Murk Empire.
'Of course, it will take quite some time to achieve that.'
Satisfied with the progress, Zeke decided to head to the Murk Empire beyond the Everwinter Mountain Range to contact his comrades.
But just then, Tosabid came running toward him.
"My King!"
He stood before Zeke and continued urgently.
"Come this way, Your Majesty. It seems we've found what you've been looking for!" Zeke followed Tosabid down.
There, astonishingly, black-robed dark mages captured by Tantra's soldiers were bound in front of the underground base where they had been staying.
Entering the base first, Zeke found something familiar inside.
"Hoo."
There was communication equipment set up to connect to the outside.
Zeke smiled in satisfaction at the sight.
'This should resolve the instability in the system's communication network.' Zeke immediately connected the communication equipment to the system.
[External communication network secured.]
With the communication stabilized after it had been blocked by the Everwinter Mountain Range's energy, the system menu appeared.
Among the options, Zeke activated the system sharing function he had disabled for a long time.
There was only one person sharing the system with him.
'Serazade the Great, Sultan of the Murk Empire.'
Zeke sent a message to Serazade through the system.
[Your Majesty, can you hear my voice?]
After sending the message via the shared system, Zeke waited briefly.
Soon, a message appeared before his eyes.
[...Hmm, now I'm hearing voices in my head. This is a problem.]
Confirming the sharing function with Serazade was active, Zeke sent another message. [Your Majesty, it is I, Zeke Draker.]
Surprisingly, messages came in rapid succession.
[What?]
[Is it really you, Zeke?]
[Not a hallucination?]
[Can you hear me?]
Zeke recalled why he had disabled this function as Serazade's messages poured in. [Your Majesty, I'll explain later.]
He sent a message infused with urgency.
[I need coordinates to the Imperial Palace. Right now.]
*
Serazade the Great, Sultan of the Murk Empire, watched as the palace mages adjusted the portal device's settings.
Unlike usual, Serazade wore an expression full of anticipation.
At that moment, the palace mages signaled that the setup was complete.
The eunuch beside her approached.
"Your Majesty, preparations are ready," he said.
Serazade nodded, and the mages activated the portal.
Kugugu!
Light rippled in the magic circle, and a portal opened above it.
Tstssts—
Moments later, someone stepped out from the portal.
Serazade shot to her feet.
"Zeke Draker!"
Seeing Zeke emerge from the portal, Serazade greeted him joyfully.
Zeke bowed politely to her.
"Your Majesty, I hope you are well."
Serazade waved off Zeke's immediate courtesy. "Enough. No need for such formalities between us." Then, Raven appeared on Zeke's shoulder.
Urruru!
Recognizing Serazade, Raven flew toward her.
Seeing the phoenix, more precious than any being in the Murk Empire, Serazade beamed and welcomed Raven.
"Raven! It's been so long. I've missed you."
Raven perched on Serazade's arm, spreading its wings and letting out a phoenix cry.
Zeke shook his head at Raven.
'That sly thing. It knows exactly who's in power and sticks close right away.'
Serazade fed Raven the finest jerky she had prepared and asked Zeke,
"Zeke, I was startled when your voice suddenly echoed in my mind. What happened?"
Unable to say he had deliberately blocked the shared system, Zeke deftly fabricated an explanation.
"I don't know the reason myself... but perhaps my earnest wish to reach you connected our hearts."
Serazade's expression softened with emotion at Zeke's words.
"So, you longed for me that much."
She was the Sultan, guarding the empire's throne alone for so long.
Though she had many lovers as the empire's ruler, she had no true beloved.
Serazade felt her heart stir at Zeke's single sentence.
Zeke sensed the predatory gleam in Serazade's eyes as she looked at him.
Fearing she might bring up the royal consort matter again and press persistently, he quickly changed the subject.
"Your Majesty, I came here in haste for a reason." Serazade shook her head at Zeke's words.
"You're as impatient as ever. To commemorate your return to the palace with Raven, I'll hold a seven-day feast. I've prepared new exotic delicacies and entertaining performances, so as my guest, you have a duty to enjoy them." The Sultan's way of thinking differed from ordinary people.
Zeke sighed inwardly but sent a message to Serazade through the shared system.
[Your Majesty, Arthur Draker is alive.]
Serazade, about to lead Zeke to the prepared banquet hall, furrowed her brow at the message.
She replied via message.
[Arthur Draker is alive? What do you mean?]
[Exactly that. Arthur Draker faked his own death. And now, he's moving in the shadows to resurrect the Demon King.]
Serazade's expression darkened at Zeke's words.
"If what you say is true, then holding a feast now is inappropriate."
She ordered the eunuch to cancel the feast and led Zeke to her chambers.
Entering Serazade's room, the divine beasts there flinched at the sight of Zeke and Raven.
They backed away warily from the grown Raven.
Ignoring the other divine beasts' caution, Raven excitedly let out another phoenix cry.
Serazade gazed fondly at Raven before reclining on the soft cushions on the floor and inviting Zeke to sit.
"What we discuss here will never leak outside, so speak freely. Why do you say Arthur Draker faked his death?"
Zeke nodded at Serazade's words and spoke.
"Arthur Draker is trying to resurrect the Demon King. But I believe that's not his only goal."
"Hmm, so resurrecting the Demon King isn't the end in itself—he's aiming for something else through it?"
"Yes. Arthur Draker isn't the type to aim merely for the Demon King's resurrection and continental destruction. He's surely hiding a more insidious purpose."
"Hmm... Arthur Draker. I never saw him myself, but I heard rumors about the Overlord.
Those who returned from the holy war called him a demon." Zeke nodded at Serazade's words.
"From the perspective of someone who's faced demons directly, Arthur Draker is harder to deal with."
Serazade laughed at Zeke's words.
"Haha! Zeke Draker, you've gotten quite the joker."
But seeing Zeke's serious expression, Serazade's face turned to surprise.
"Not a joke?"
"Yes. Before coming to the Eastern Continent, I visited the Demon Realm. There, I discussed the matter with the Demon Archlords." Serazade's mouth fell open at Zeke's words.
As the Sultan who unified the entire Eastern Continent's Murk Empire, few things surprised her.
Yet Zeke's claim of going to the Demon Realm and meeting the Demon Archlords left her stunned.
Serazade shook her head in bewilderment.
"The Demon Archlords... It's hard to even imagine such a tale."
"The Demon King and Demon Archlords are no longer myths or legends. They're a real threat right before us."
Serazade nodded gravely at Zeke's words.
"I see the situation. So, what are you telling me and the Murk Empire?"
"You must prepare your forces. Arthur Draker won't be satisfied with the Central Continent."
"You're saying he'll invade the Eastern Continent too? Hmm." Serazade's face grew troubled.
Zeke continued.
"I know what concerns you. It's the situation beyond the Everwinter Wall, isn't it?" Serazade nodded.
"Yes. One of the Murk Empire's greatest purposes is guarding the Everwinter Wall to prevent magical beasts from advancing south. Pulling forces to counter an uncertain Arthur Draker and Demon King would face strong opposition."
"Would solving that issue suffice?"
Zeke's eyes gleamed as he pulled something from his bosom.
Serazade flinched at what Zeke revealed.
"What is that...?"
What Zeke held was none other than the royal seal of the Kingdom of Tantra.