Chapter 161 – Control (3)
[Leader of Blyer (3)]
A new name had been added to the divine name registry.
Kamel couldn’t see it himself, but he could feel the change. The glow emanating from the black sapphire of the Ring of Subjugation had grown even darker.
At the sight of it, Kamel nodded.
"The vessel has expanded."
The divine name registry was not just a mere record. Each entry carried unseen effects, which manifested as abilities for the owner of the divine name.
Acquiring an entry under the [Leader] category, much like the Mantle of the Dragon's Fang, amplified both dominance and presence. This signified that the capacity of the vessel for subjugation had increased.
"Let's go."
They had descended with three, but by the time they ascended to the second floor, they were four.
A blood-covered knight—Wiley.
Expressionless, Wiley clung to Kamel’s side. The moment he acknowledged Kamel as his master, his [Guardian Instinct] seemed to have activated.
Kamel surveyed the berserkers locked in the second-floor prison.
"They’ll need armor to conceal their identities."
Unlike Wiley, whom he intended to present as a figurehead, the other knights were incapable of rational thought. Exposing them could lead to complications, so their identities needed to be hidden.
Rengua responded with a confident expression.
"It's already in production."
"Can no other shaman control the berserkers?"
"I’m the only one who can handle madness."
"Even with the Stone of Madness?"
"The stone only amplifies the effects. Control requires my staff."
"Then this stone has outlived its usefulness?"
"It’s still needed to trigger large-scale [Madness Explosion]."
"Then you should be the one to keep it."
"Indeed."
A small stone scattered murky light in irregular patterns.
The attendants who first transported it had all succumbed to insanity. It was said to be a cursed artifact, filled with the bitter resentment of those consumed by madness.
The only reason Kamel remained unaffected was because of the necklace he wore—
A mysterious pendant of blue stone that bestowed blessings.
"If only we knew its original owner, we could understand its abilities in more detail."
It was one of the artifacts he had received in exchange for selling 'his' divine name. However, since divine name transactions in the black market were conducted with strict anonymity, identifying the original owner was impossible.
"Integrate the berserker unit under Rengua's command."
"You'll have the finest unit in no time."
Rengua bowed, barely suppressing the grin threatening to split his face. He was already filled with excitement over what kind of enchantments to engrave into the completed armor.
Glancing at Lyon, Kamel saw his stiffened expression.
The power struggle that had already been tilting due to divine name awakenings had now widened even further.
"We'll proceed with the next plan immediately. Wrap things up here as quickly as possible."
"Understood."
"I'll keep Wiley by my side. He won't be appearing in Etor anyway."
After giving Wiley his orders, Kamel exited the underground prison, escorted by Rengua. The line of carts carrying corpses had grown even longer. It would take more time to clean up this place.
On the way to the lord’s residence—
Lyon, who had been silently following behind, cautiously spoke.
"Um… aren't you giving Rengua too much power?"
"What are you worried about? You and Rengua have both already sworn loyalty under the Ring of Subjugation."
The first thing Kamel had done upon acquiring the ring was to ensure the absolute loyalty of his closest subordinates.
Kamel trusted no one.
The only thing he had faith in was the honest greed in people's hearts. Everything else was merely a tool for achieving that greed.
He saw through Lyon’s thoughts instantly.
The divine name holders—Rengua and Wiley.
Lyon was growing anxious.
"Do you want to become the owner of a divine name?"
"...Forgive me."
"Your wish will be granted soon enough."
"...?"
"Do you not trust me?"
"Th-That would be blasphemy! Never!"
"There’s something I need you to do."
"Give me any command!"
Shortly after, Lyon carried out Kamel’s orders, selecting part of the royal guard and dispatching them to the Beneta border, where the Blyer forces were stationed.
"All the cavalry…?"
The command had been to withdraw all the cavalry, which formed a crucial part of the encirclement.
Lyon questioned his lord’s decision but did not ask why.
He would find out soon enough.
Returning to the lord’s residence, Kamel summoned the baron’s retainers and administrators.
Those who had survived the Etor massacre and were working on rebuilding the city immediately halted their tasks and gathered in the baron's chambers.
The room became crowded with people.
Kamel calmly sipped his tea amidst their gazes.
Gulp—
Perhaps due to the aura he exuded, or the fierce gaze of Lyon standing behind him, no one dared to speak until he set his cup down.
A heavy silence.
Then, he finally opened his mouth.
"I have found traces of Baron Tomzael."
"Wh-What!? Truly!?"
"Oh, gods!"
A trace of Etor’s lord had been discovered!
Excited murmurs and exclamations filled the room, but soon, all eyes turned back to Kamel, their anticipation clear.
What they wanted to know most was whether their lord was alive or dead.
"His survival is uncertain. We may need to deploy the army for a search—"
"Of course! We must do it! Where? Where was his trace found?"
"Here."
Standing up, Kamel pointed to a location on the map spread across the desk.
"...This place?"
"Isn't that… Laup Forest?"
Laup Forest was the shortest route leading toward Blyer. Some reacted with confusion.
It was significantly closer to Blyer than to Etor.
"Why would the baron be all the way there…?"
"Traces of Commander Wiley were also found alongside his. If the commander is with him, there’s a higher chance they survived. We might also learn the fate of the knight order."
"T-The knights too?!"
"We must move the army immediately!"
"I will issue the mobilization order at once!"
Kamel, the savior of Etor, had spoken with certainty.
If they could confirm the survival of Baron Tomzael, Commander Wiley, and the knights, it didn’t matter where the traces were found—they had to dispatch a search party.
To them, Kamel seemed to shine with a divine glow.
Lifting his cup, he took another sip.
"Thank you for your trust."
His languid voice drew their attention.
The mark of enchantment.
No one in that room doubted Kamel’s words.
Two days later, a conscription order was issued throughout Etor. The elite soldiers working on the city's reconstruction began gathering at the northern gate one by one.
Despite the heavy casualties among regular soldiers due to the wildfire-like rampage of the berserkers, the elite troops before them remained largely intact.
Expensive armor.
Warhorses clad in steel.
Per Kamel’s orders, the entire search unit was composed of elite cavalry.
A powerful cavalry force of three thousand—
"Follow me."
Under the command of Blyer’s new lord, Kamel, they swiftly began their march toward Laup Forest.
Tadak, tadak, tadak—
Lyon, along with the royal guard, flanked Kamel’s carriage for protection.
Behind them, the shaman unit followed for communication purposes, with thousands of Etor’s cavalry bringing up the rear.
As they all rode on horseback, their speed across the forest was unimpeded.
Inside the carriage, apart from Kamel, sat another passenger—Arcane.
Through the open window, a gentle breeze blew in.
Silver-white hair swayed.
A blue sapphire earring gleamed under the sunlight.
Arcane gazed at the passing scenery in silence, as if on a leisurely stroll.
Kamel observed him wordlessly.
Kamel had been carefully monitoring Arcane’s every move since his arrival in Etor.
[Arcane is related to ‘The Blood-Drinking Chalice.’]
It could have been ‘his’ scheme, but since the entity that had killed him had been mentioned, Kamel couldn’t afford to ignore it.
He had assigned covert watchers to track Arcane, spent time dining and conversing with him, all in an attempt to grasp the man’s true nature.
Yet—
"I still don’t understand him."
Arcane had no visible faction. No one attempted to approach him.
His personality was no different.
Kamel, who could decipher a person’s thoughts at a glance, found himself unable to categorize Arcane.
The astrologer had witnessed the fall of Etor with his own eyes.
He had seen tens of thousands slaughtered at Kamel’s mere command, yet he neither condemned nor distanced himself.
All he did was request lodging and live quietly.
The only thing Kamel had managed to confirm was—
Arcane had deep ties with the mage factions.
"Did you find your stay uncomfortable?"
"Not at all. It was quite comfortable."
"I heard you spent entire days in prayer."
"An astrologer’s divine inspiration comes from the gods. We must periodically listen to the voices of the heavens."
"And did you hear anything?"
Arcane’s thin eyes shifted toward Kamel at that question. When Kamel gave a slight nod, a rare ripple passed across his face.
A strange excitement.
"So, what did you hear?"
"Before that, you’ve undergone a change. I wish to see your divine name. Will you allow it?"
"By all means."
A mysterious glow flared within the carriage.
Arcane removed his hand from his earring, revealing a faint smile.
Because he had just glimpsed Kamel’s newly revealed divine name.
"You’ve been chosen as a leader."
"It hasn’t been long."
"Is it mere coincidence, I wonder?"
Arcane pulled a piece of paper from his robe and handed it over.
Kamel’s face hardened as he scanned the contents.
‘His’ divine name registry had changed.
[XXXXXX – Divine Name Hunter (XX)]
[XXXXXXX]
[The Siren’s Hymn]
[XXXXXX Heart]
[XXXX Guide]
[The Ring of Desire (XX)]
[Leader of Hunt [?]]
Most of the information remained veiled as before.
But two things had changed.
Among them, one detail stood out immediately in connection to Arcane’s words.
"…Leader of Hunt."
"A newly revealed divine name."
"If ‘he’ has become a leader, that means there are at least three other divine name holders around him. That would mean Lochter Felice and Karl Bastain are by his side, wouldn’t it?"
"There could be more. The minimum is three, after all."
Arcane’s vague wording pricked at Kamel’s nerves.
The name of Lily Base, the Witch of Ordor Forest, surfaced in his mind.
No, she couldn’t have joined his ranks. The homeland of the great witch was the depths of Ordor Forest.
The Millennium Tree was still intact.
If there was another possible candidate—
"Is Alex Marcia a divine name holder?"
"I won’t know until I see him in person."
"So you need to see him directly to get an answer?"
"The answer is given by the gods."
As always, Arcane evaded giving a definitive response.
Frowning slightly, Kamel turned his attention to another name on the list.
A name Arcane had just highlighted.
"The Ring of Desire…"
Kamel closed his eyes, lost in thought.
If it had made it onto the divine name registry, it must be a famous artifact, akin to the Ring of Subjugation. Yet he had never heard of it in his previous life.
Noticing his contemplation, Arcane asked,
"Do you know anything about the Ring of Desire?"
"No. I don’t."
"That makes it difficult. And this individual’s divine name…?"
"If new information is revealed, the truth will come to light eventually."
"You’ll need to find him first. That’s the reason I’m helping you."
"If I capture a member of Hunt, I’ll know immediately."
"I look forward to it."
Arcane turned his gaze back to the window. Was he pondering over ‘his’ divine name?
The astrologer had shown an unusual obsession with ‘his’ divine name and identity.
"Lyon."
Kamel opened the carriage window and gave a signal. Lyon nodded slightly, and moments later, a shaman muttered an incantation into the communication orb.
It was a message for Rengua.
Another day passed.
Inside the rattling carriage, Kamel had briefly dozed off. When he awoke, daylight had already broken.
The army under his command had marched tirelessly, through both night and day.
Looking at Arcane, Kamel saw him sitting still with his eyes closed.
Whether he was sleeping or engaged in prayer was unclear.
Just as Kamel reached to open the window and call for Lyon—
A commotion erupted behind them.
The cavalry units following them were one by one coming to a halt.
Moments later, an urgent shout rang out.
"O-Oh! It’s Sir Wiley!"
"Inform the front immediately!"
Commander Wiley emerged from the forest, staggering alone.
Still covered in blood, as if he had barely escaped a brutal encounter.
"…Lochter Felice."
The name spilled from Wiley’s lips in a low whisper.
He had just named Lochter as the one responsible for Baron Tomzael’s death.