Cale asked the struggling Adin a question. "Hey, I'm in a bit of a hurry, so let me ask you one question. How do you feel, bastard?"

'How do I feel right now?' Adin's contorted eyes turned toward Cale.

Choi Han had beat everything but Adin's face, so his face was left unscathed.

Cale laughed at Adin's state and started to speak. "Black mages are quite intriguing. They don't feel pain when they die, right?"

Black mages don't feel pain other than when they first absorb dead mana, unlike necromancers. They can absorb dead mana painlessly after that initial painful absorption. Furthermore, they don't even feel pain when they die.

That was why the only way to make a black mage suffer was to keep him alive and cause them pain.

Adin started to speak to Cale despite the blood flowing from his mouth. "You really are different from me. I can't understand."

Adin started to speak with an expression that truly said that he couldn't understand. "Cale Henituse, what do you gain from getting rid of black magic? Wouldn't you have more to gain if you sided with the Empire and expanded its power with black magic instead?"

Cale grinned. "I'm just happy destroying everything that White Star spent hundreds of years to build one by one. Is there anything more fun than that?"

Cale stood up and turned around.

"What? You know about White Star-nim? Why? Why do you choose to be against him? That's a stupid decision, you'll regret it!"

Adin asked, but Cale didn't answer. Someone else answered instead.

"You, who simply looked down at the dead mana and pile of bones stacked in this underground hall, wouldn't be able to understand. What would a bastard like you who only knows how to steal from others possibly know?"

It was Choi Han. The refreshed expression had disappeared from Choi Han's face and his stoic eyes were looking down at Adin.

Cale's voice reached Choi Han at that moment.

"Choi Han,"

"Yes, Cale-nim."

"Second-" However, Cale had to stop talking.

"Keuhuhuhu." Adin was laughing.

That didn't matter. However, Cale turned his head at the following statement.

"You think all this dead mana belongs to me?"

Cale had a bewildered expression as he looked at Adin who was staring at him.

Adin, who once again put on a good-natured expression such that no one could discern his true intentions, was laughing despite throwing up blood and being unable to control and move his hands due to the bones being broken.

Cale bent down again and met Adin's eyes. "I know that it doesn't belong to you exclusively. For the black mages? Maybe the Tower Master? But there's no way that White Star bastard being so generous to his 'pawns'. "

"Ha!" Adin scoffed and then he started to speak. "You're right, this is a tribute. It's something that the imperial family and the Tower Master have to offer."

Tribute.

Cale started to speak. "Why would he need dead mana?"

• Cale, maybe he is a person with Sky attribute power.

It was Thief.

'Sky attribute? Ah... Cheapskate mentioned that last time. Please explain.'

• The person with the Sky attribute periodically absorbed dead mana.

"Ha! That White thing just keep getting worse the more I know about him." Cale's eyes shifted towards the huge underground hall.

"How could you call that person like that?" Adin's voice was heard again at that moment. "Hahaha but don't you think it's fun? I can't wait to see you regret the choice of going against him!"

"Huu." Adin let out a faint sigh and bluntly added on. "He can't be beaten. No lifeform, no one, can ever defeat him."

Adin raised his head. The eyes that were just brown in the absence of sunlight looked at the underground hall's ceiling.

"I-"

Both Cale and Choi Han's faces turned odd.

It was the first time.

It was the first time they saw an emotion other than anger or laughter in Adin's eyes.

"I am not afraid of you nor even the Dragons."

It was fear.

"However, I am afraid of White Star-nim."

Adin was terrified.

"He is life itself."

'This bastard think he knows who the White Star is and what kind of being he is?' Cale scoffed.

It happened at that moment.

Cale urgently called out to Choi Han.

"Choi Han!"

"Yes, Cale-nim!"

Choi Han hurriedly grabbed Adin by the shoulder.

Adin's body suddenly started to shake and his face turned pale. He wasn't in a normal state. It seemed as if he could not control himself. It was not just an act.

However, Adin's eyes were cold and calm despite his trembling. Adin looked around at his surroundings.

He could see his subordinates falling one by one in the Dark Elves' hands. There was probably a similar situation happening inside the Alchemists' Bell Tower while the capital was probably a chaotic mess.

'What would benefit me?' Adin's eyes looked around at his surroundings and soon turned to one place.

"Stop aimlessly looking around like that."

Adin blankly stared at Cale and started to speak. His voice trembled as much as his shaking body.

"Kehehe, I tend to be satisfied only when I'm in control of everything. It's only fun when everything is within my grasp. Do you know why?"

"Because you're a crazy bastard. Just like your owner, you crazy bastard." Cale spitted out. He then heard an unexpected story.

"Our golden eyes are a symbol that we received the Sun God's protection."

The eyes that shone gold underneath the sun had become the symbol of the Mogoru Empire's Imperial family at some point.

"Ugh." Blood flowed out of Adin's mouth.

Adin was born with an exceptionally healthy body and a talent for swordsmanship even though the rest of the imperial family were all born with weak bodies for generations.

That was why he had received all the attention and thought that he could grasp anything within his hands. However, he realized the truth the moment he entered the Alchemists' Bell Tower fifteen years ago and faced reality.

'I can't change anything about my body, it is out of my control.'

That was why he decided to put everything other than that under his control. He was the Imperial Prince of the Empire who had everything in his hands. He also had the gold eyes that were the symbol of that position.

"However, it's actually a symbol of subordination, ugh."

A handful of blood flowed out from Adin's mouth. His eyes were looking around at his surroundings as that happened. He then heard Cale's voice.

"Hahaha seriously? You just realize that the imperial family has been subjugated by White Star?"

He then heard Choi Han who was speaking quite seriously.

"Cale-nim, I feel as if something is pressuring his body every time 'White Star' is mentioned." Choi Han tried to steady Adin's body as if he was trying to make sure that Adin wouldn't die.

His demeanor showed that he didn't want to miss any valuable information regarding White Star. He heard Cale's nonchalant voice at that moment.

"Yes, that is correct too."

That is correct, 'too.'

Adin's eyes that were looking around flinched after hearing that word. His eyes turned to Cale, who was starting to smile happily.

This abnormal reaction of Adin's trembling body. The fact that golden eyes related to subordination could be true on the one hand, but there was something Cale had learned throughout his life.

Doubt your enemy's words and then doubt it again.

That was why Cale gently asked Adin, who was rolling his eyes. "You're trying to kill time while talking to me now, right? At least until the Tower Master comes, right? You're thinking that you'll win and live that way, isn't that so?"

Adin's eyes that were calm unlike his trembling body trembled. 'He figured it out.'

He heard Cale whisper in his ear.

"Do you think White Star will save a useless pawn like you? You don't seem to know him well." Cale smiled as he whispered. "I'm waiting for the Tower Master and White Star as well. Do you think I was joking when I said I wanted to destroy everything that bastard built up? I can't wait to see his face."

Cale stood up and started to speak to Choi Han as a momentary crack appeared on Adin's expression.

"Drag him over."

"Ugh!"

Choi Han grabbed Adin by his hair and started to drag him rougher than before.

Cale's insane smile was imprinted in Adin's eyes.

"Don't worry, Adin. I intend to find out everything you think you know about that bastard no matter what I have to do."

'Ah.' Adin realized something once again. 'This bastard is not so different from me.'

"I told you, didn't I? I'm similar to you." Cale didn't stop walking as he grinned once again.

He then shouted out loud. "We're going up!"

The Dark Elves shook the blood from their weapons the moment that Cale shouted. There wasn't a single person from the Empire's side left standing.

That was why there was no one to hinder Cale Henituse as he walked up.

**********************************

It was still noisy above at the capital.

"Run away! It's dangerous here!"

"Go outside of the city! We will guide you!"

The people from the slums were shouting at the top of their lungs while the people of the Empire that were hurriedly trying to get outside the capital followed behind them.

The collapsed city walls that the people originally considered a safe fence was now but an obstacle in their eyes. Quite a few people had already escaped outside the city walls. More people were heading past the walls.

"Everyone who leaves will be seen as accomplices to these terrorists!"

However, that wasn't easy either. Numerous soldiers and knights came out through the various gates of the palace and were blocking people from heading past the walls.

"...Rex! Are you stopping us again?!"

However, there were people going up against those knights and soldiers.

Rex swung his shield around to prevent the knights from approaching. He looked around at his surroundings at the same time.

Quite a few people had made it past the walls. However, not all of them had left yet.

It was both because things were chaotic even with Rex and the mages on the airships helping out and because the Empire's knights had gotten into position in order to prevent them earlier than expected.

"I still believe in his highness!"

"You want me to abandon my home and leave? Why should I trust you?"

There were also those who didn't believe Rex yet or refused to leave their homes.

Rex understood their feelings. Who would want to leave their home in the middle of the night and leave past the city walls?

Furthermore, how could they believe Rex right away when there weren't any black mages nor golems around them right now?

That was why Rex raised his voice once more and his hoarse voice echoed around his surroundings. "The black magic attacks will begin soon! Please run away!"

"Rex! Is that something a terrorist can say?"

"A criminal like you should shut up!"

Rex's voice was buried under the raised voices of the knights.

"Damn it!" Rex bit down on his lip.

It was at that moment.

Creeeaaak- The central gate of the imperial palace opened.

It was the large gate that only opened when the Emperor or the Imperial Prince came out to grace the public with their presence or when there was an important event.

Boom! That gate opened completely and the first group of people came out.

"...Damn it." Rex's pupils started to shake.

He turned his attention to the leader of the group and his body went slightly stiff.

However, the Empire's forces were rather delighted and started to raise their voices to shout. "The Tower Master has come with the will of his majesty the Emperor!"

There was a person wearing the Alchemists' Bell Tower's robe and bearing the Emperor's seal. His face was covered by a hood, but his robe had a pattern unique to the Tower Master of the Bell Tower.

Rex then heard the urgent voice of his friend. "Rex! Why is the Tower Master coming out of the palace? This isn't something we expected!"

Rex started to frowned. He didn't know.

Rex knew that the Tower Master might come early from the Eastern continent, but he didn't expect him to appear from the imperial palace.

There was an alchemist to the left of the Tower Master and a knight to the right of the Tower Master.

The three of them were leading a group of knights and alchemists wearing armor bearing the emblem of the Empire as they headed towards the plaza from the palace.

They looked austere and not evil at all.

"...Isn't it a bit strange?" One of the people of the Empire who was running away stopped moving.

'Do I really have to run away?' His expression held a look of doubt.

Others started to react in similar ways.

Rex started to frown after seeing that. "No!"

'This kind of atmosphere isn't good!' He felt like the flow was about to change.

He couldn't let that happen. It would be bad if people hesitating slowed the evacuation more than it had already and caused people to get hurt or become hostages and get killed in the process.

The speed of this evacuation was already extremely slow. It would be a terrible predicament if it got any slower.

Rex strengthened his grip on his shield while knowing that that was the case, but his eyes were still shaking. He turned his attention to the airship.

'Should I go to Eruhaben-nim or Miss Rosalyn? What should I do in this kind of situation?'

"Rex, what should we do?"

Rex could hear his friend's urgent voice. He could see the Tower Master and the knights approaching from the distance.

'How do I change the flow?'

It was at that moment.

Ring- Ring- Ring- It was the sound of a bell.

The bell was ringing in the middle of the night. Everyone's gaze turned to one spot.

The knights and soldiers.

The fleeing people of the Empire.

People who remained in their homes.

The Tower Master and his group of knights.

Even Sir Rex.

Everyone was looking at a single spot. There was only one place in the Empire that a bell would ring from. The sound of the ringing bell was coming from the highest point in the Western continent.

Ring- Ring- Ring- The Alchemists' Bell Tower. The bell was ringing from the top of that tower.

A man in a white robe inscribed with a golden sun was seen standing by the origin of the beautiful ringing noise.

The figure dressed in a robe looked holy despite having his face covered by a low hood. Furthermore, the golden sun on the robe was catching people's attention.

"Huh? Huh?" The eyes of the Empire's people widen at that moment.

Tap, tap! People dressed in white robes suddenly appeared from all directions while crossing the roofs on the outskirts of the capital.

They were Freesia and her subordinates. Cale's Information Brigade all had a golden sun inscribed on the back of their white robes as they ran towards the Bell Tower.

Something happened when everyone's attention was captured by the people dressed in white who were crossing across the roofs.

Ring- Ring- Ring- Cale stood on top of the Bell Tower and looked down while listening to the sound of the bells that woke up the night.

He could see the person with the Tower Master's emblem inscribed on his robe, as well as the people who were standing beside him.

Cale could hear Raon's voice in his mind.

– Human! It's not that!

'I know.' Cale had a wide grin on his face that no one could see because of his hood.

*********************************

The group that came out of the palace headed toward the Alchemists' Bell Tower. They looked confident, majestic, and as if nothing would be able to stop them.

"My goodness!" People couldn't stop their shock after seeing the person to the right of the Tower Master who was confidently riding on a horse.

The citizens who were trying to escape couldn't help but shudder. "...The Guardian Sword......!"

Duke Huten was the person who was known as the Mogoru Empire's Sword of the Empire.

Although he was defeated in the Whipper Kingdom battle and was currently being held captive at Maple Castle, he was still the Empire's pride and source of strength.

However, this old knight who was here right now held a different kind of position in the people's hearts.

The Guardian Sword. This was a title given to the knight who has guarded both the former Emperor and the current Emperor.

He was always warm to the people, but he was also someone with an upright personality who has been loyal to the royal family for generations.

He was a highest-grade expert who was extremely weak compared to Duke Huten. However, the citizens still called Sir Bernard the Guardian Sword.

His loyalty and upright personality that he had built up and maintained for many years made him the Empire's pride.

"I-I don't know anymore." One of the citizens who was escaping put his bag down on the ground.

Seeing the gentle and upright Guardian Sword, seeing Sir Bernard here, made him unable to tell what was the truth and what was a lie.

Sir Bernard started to speak at that moment. "Everybody stop!"

It was a deep voice that echoed throughout the area. He was shouting with disappointment while wearing a full set of armor even though he was in his seventies. "I received his majesty's order to leave his side and come here today."

All of the citizens focused their gazes on Bernard.

It was a famous story.

The Emperor always kept Bernard by his side. He treasured this knight the most even though he was so old. The story about how the ill Emperor could not sleep properly if Bernard was not standing guard outside his bedroom door was famous.

"The reason for it is simple. His majesty is concerned about his citizens!"

The Emperor sent out his most trusted knight.

"Do not be fooled by that footage. Think about it for a bit." There were no emotions visible in the old knight's voice as he continued to speak. "Did the Empire point its sword toward you?"

That was why it was easier to hear him.

The citizens looked around. They could see the destroyed walls. They could also see the airship in the sky. Furthermore, there were also the people from the slums that were telling them to escape.

They looked toward the airship and started to think. 'Is that footage really real? What if it is fake?'

Uncertainty and chaos filled their minds as they could not figure out what to believe.

"Damn it!" Rex started to frown.

He also knew of Sir Bernard, the Guardian Sword. Bernard was also one of the few good people he knew about in the royal court.

He was the veteran knight who had given Rex some good memories during his rookie year when he was hell-bent on getting revenge.

All new knights received Sir Bernard's warm care and teachings at least once.

'...It is bad if Sir Bernard gets involved.'

People might really believe the Empire's story if he joined in.

Sir Bernard's stern voice continued on. "In fact, who was it that destroyed the city walls during the night? Who was it that destroyed your peaceful bedtime?"

The citizens who had been tense started to lose their strength. They flinched once more at that moment.

Dang- dang- dang- They heard the bell again.

It happened as Sir Bernard and the Tower Master's group entered the plaza with the Alchemists' Bell Tower.