Chapter 151
The Knight of True Flame suppressed his overflowing mana as he gazed up at the sky. The once stark white clouds had at some point turned dusky, and now, saturated and sticky, they slowly descended. From beyond those clouds, the aura of a dragon was seeping out.
'Are they finally fighting amongst themselves? How bizarre.'
Though puzzled, the Knight of True Flame had no intention of intervening. After all, dragons had always threatened humans but never fought amongst themselves. In other words, only now, at this very moment, had the first conflict between dragons broken out.
'Ru the Luminescent has never attacked the Empire, not even once. Was it said that neutrality was maintained?'
Ostensibly, they were called neutral, but it was only a standard set by Ru the Luminescent. From a human perspective, however, they were still considered monsters who could invade at any moment.
'Lailnetia the Devouring... has attacked just once. Perhaps it was a warning.'
Lailnetia the Devouring had briefly swept through a border near the eastern territory before vanishing without a trace. In that instant, the nearby forests were devastated, and the water of the lakes, contaminated, began to slowly dry up. Essentially, it had corroded the land, mutating it into a state beyond recovery.
'If I considered only the danger, Lailnetia the Devouring should be dealt with first... but in the end, it doesn't matter which side.'
The Knight of True Flame, having left the Agnes Empire, had been pursuing a single goal. To use the power of dragons to heighten his own might to the extreme. Having absorbed the mana of two dragons already, even if he fought the remaining one, he likely wouldn't be easily defeated.
'I do wonder who will win. Both are powerful beings.'
Possessing the source of a dragon, the Knight of True Flame could sense it instinctively. Ru the Luminescent possessed considerable strength, as proven by the instant annihilation of Grafden the Deep. Lailnetia the Devouring, with just a single ability—corrosion—could violate the very laws of this world.
'... This power is hard to control. Isn't it still rampaging?'
Mana kept surging endlessly from within his body. Though it didn't cause his body to collapse, considerable pressure was still applied. Above all, sensing he was reaching his limit, he could only drive himself harder.
'I have to become stronger. And then... I must surpass Alter Radiant.'
Alter Radiant still denied his very essence. The power that he had struggled to obtain had been cancelled out by mana of the same magnitude, and in the end, was completely blocked. Although he had risen far higher than back then, why couldn't he be certain?
'Can I defeat Alter Radiant as I am now?'
The Knight of True Flame, unconsciously, was consumed by the thought of defeat. He had unilaterally stolen the power of dragons, whereas Alter Radiant possessed it innately. How could someone like him, a mere remnant of falsehood, withstand a being of pure attainment?
"That can't be allowed. I've come all this way—I have to be able to win!"
Grinding his teeth, the Knight of True Flame denied it with all his might. He had to remain, above all, a hypocrite obsessed only with strength. Yet if he confronted Alter Radiant purely out of simple competitiveness, he would be labeled an absolute villain.
"If only you hadn't existed... I... maybe......"
The Knight of True Flame entertained a vain hope as he gazed into the slim possibility. Perhaps, as a Sword Saint, he'd be admired, command the honorable knight order, and marry a beautiful woman. But those things were now out of reach, granted only to Alter Radiant instead.
"Keuheuheu... kikik... hehahaha!"
Suddenly, the Knight of True Flame burst into laughter and realized how foolish he was. Perhaps since then, he had foreseen his own ending. Yet if he'd simply given up, what would have become of him?
"Nothing would change. Isn't it better than being left a pathetic human?"
Only then did the Knight of True Flame clearly erase all fragments of regret. His choices had been limited, and he simply paid the price for them. Once a decision was made, he had no choice but to charge forward unhesitatingly.
"I was not wrong. If talent doesn't follow, shouldn't I resort to expedients?"
As always, the Knight of True Flame reaffirmed his longing for strength again and again. He could reach a higher realm, endure anything, and overcome Alter Radiant. Now, he would devour even those beings' mana and rule as an overwhelming existence.
"Rather than become a pitiful human... I'll become a mighty monster. Isn't that how it should be?"
* * *
After a fairly hectic day, Alter did not return to the house until evening. As the next great mage, there were quite a few matters to prepare, and as Brillie's husband, he had to solidify his position as well. It was burdensome in many ways, but by now, he simply accepted it as an unfamiliar routine.
'This way, I won't be able to live quietly.'
With some regret but also helpless acceptance, Alter gave in. As much as he was inheriting the wealth and fame of the duke's house, responsibility would naturally follow. If he couldn't even endure this, perhaps he wasn't cut out for noble life.
'But I should still have plenty of money.'
He had no intention of indulging in extravagance, but he wanted to continue his current lifestyle as much as possible. Although he himself was just an outsider from the northern territory, Brillie had lived as the second daughter of the duke's house since childhood. If her living environment suddenly changed, it would inevitably be confusing for her in many ways.
'Pride should never be wounded over money......'
A single coin could shake a person's entire life, even shackle the nation's very foundation. Money couldn't fulfill every wish, but it did allow one to possess tangible things. Money was a means of survival and a source of happiness; it was only right to have as much as possible.
'Honor could be satisfied just with the Sword Flower, but acquiring the duke's title as well wouldn't be bad.'
A recognized title and a title inherited by bloodline were not treated the same. The former required talent, effort, and luck—only then could it barely be obtained. The latter, in contrast, was merely given by birth but needed a long history and foundation to be justified.
'But... I was hoping for a more modest life......'
Hearing a small noise, Alter immediately turned his head. The latch on the window was triggered by something, and it swung over. A familiar figure climbed over the window frame, soon displaying a relaxed posture.
"Feels like it's been a while, hasn't it? Did you enjoy your honeymoon?"
"Don't you value your life?"
"Oh, worrying about me? Well, I'm so moved I don't know what to do."
After glancing around the interior, Clarke leaned against the wall. Alter rose from his chair, showing a subtle expression.
"I can let it go, but my wife won't tolerate this."
"That's why I came now. Looks like she's still on the first floor."
"My wife might have already noticed, though?"
"No way, not that far......"
Urgent footsteps echoed from the hallway, the door suddenly opened, and a surge of mana rushed in. Alter sighed while Clarke quickly turned toward the window. Brillie, gripping her sword hilt, glared at Clarke.
"I let you off last time, but I have no reason to now. Did you come here because you want to die by my hand?"
"You mean to kill your benefactor? Lord's daughter of the duke's house... Oh, right. The madam shouldn't say that."
"If it weren't for that incident, I'd have chopped you up long ago. You're still pulling stunts like this, knowing you're on a wanted poster?"
"Haha... A little wanted notice can't hinder my work."
Clarke replied glibly, shrugging. Brillie looked dissatisfied but couldn't quite draw her sword. Without the phantom thief's help, she certainly wouldn't have uncovered the former pope's crimes.
"Why do you keep hovering around someone else's husband? If you have common sense, you should know to back off!"
"That's why I'm here for the last time. I doubt we'll meet again."
"......?"
Brillie, full of suspicion, lessened her grip on the sword hilt. She had expected him to make his usual sarcastic remark or slip away immediately. But the phantom thief was uncharacteristically sincere as he recited quietly.
"I'm not fond of heavy moods... but you can't joke in situations like this, can you?"
"So why bring it up?"
"The reason is simple. I think I'll retire."
"You mean you're quitting thievery?"
"Hmm... I suppose so. I've cleaned out every place that offended my eyes, so I can leave with no regrets."
Clarke smiled as he alternately looked at both of them. Even if he quietly disappeared like this, no one would care. In fact, the royals and nobles would rejoice, while the commoners would probably feel a fair amount of disappointment.
"Are you planning to go somewhere deserted?"
"That's no fun, is it? I should settle down in the city."
"You really shouldn't say that here. What if I tell the nobles?"
"Then why have you kept quiet until now?"
"......."
Alter fell silent, then let out a faint chuckle. It was a question he couldn't answer lightly. The phantom thief may have been a criminal, but even so-called noble thieves often broke the law.
"Not very honest, are you? You could just say you liked me."
"What's there to like?"
"Hmmm... Must be the face, right?"
"And you say that with a mask on?"
"Can't you tell just by looking? I obviously look dashing."
"Haaa... nothing's changed."
"People should be consistent. If someone changes, that's when there's a problem."
"So are you quitting theft because something's gone wrong?"
"I don't know if it's a problem—don't we all live carrying one or two?"
"You sure have a lot to say for someone who's been the cause of so many problems."
Brillie, almost reflexively, pointed this out and glared at Clarke. Clarke laughed heartily, then slowly tilted his head.
"Hehahat! The madam has exposed the heart of it. Thanks to me, things must have been tough for you. Still, I did help—can't you let it slide just a little?"
"I am letting it slide right now. If not for that, you'd have lost your head ages ago."
"Oh, how scary. I'm so tense I can hardly speak."
Though Clarke responded coolly, he was at least somewhat conscious of Brillie. Unlike Alter, her decisive character made it impossible to smooth things over easily. If not for Alter by her side, she might not have held back.
"So, to sum up... this is the farewell. I don't think we were close, but we did see each other quite a few times, right?"
"Do you even know our position? According to the wanted poster, we have to arrest or kill you. Pulling things like this will get you nowhere!"
Brillie was well aware that she was in a predicament. The phantom thief was, after all, a notorious criminal, to be judged according to the law. Yet since they had received his help, she could not bring herself to act.
"Ah... Yes, that's true. I've been slow to understand, madam."
Clarke eventually nodded and immediately opened the window. Brillie's words were perfectly justified—if anything, she was being rather generous. If his actions had brought these two misery, he would have drowned in self-loathing.
"I'm late to say this... but congratulations on your marriage. I won't ask for any wedding money; breaking off ties will be enough."
Clarke waved lightly, leapt over the window frame, and left. Alter hesitated briefly, then glanced sidelong at Brillie. At last, Brillie let go of the sword hilt and closed the window.
"Don't ever come again. I don't even want to arrest you anymore."