Chapter 98 : Fate Repeats Itself (3)
Chapter 98: Fate Repeats Itself (3)
At Kyle’s question, Reinhardt let out a scoffing laugh.
“Let me ask you just one thing. Do you happen to know the contents related to the pact?”
“……Wasn’t it just that single clause stating that the monarchs do not leave the mountain range?”
There had been various clauses in the pact formed between the Ragnar Family and the Kingdom of Daon.
However, only one clause had been recorded in the history books.
Under no circumstances were the monarchs ever allowed to leave the mountain range.
“Did you know this? I was the one who formed the pact with Ragnar’s first Head of the Family.”
“…….”
“You should at least keep up with what’s going on in the world. That way, the monarchs can prepare themselves and protect their own lives, don’t you think?”
“Then I’ll ask this time. Why did the Dragonkin move the monarchs and encourage the rift?”
This, too, was a distorted story.
The Dragonkin had not instigated conflict among the monarchs.
It was simply that the Dark Elves’ resentment had been too great, and they had tried to help them.
They had never intended to step forward in the first place.
“The Dragonkin move freely. We don’t act as an organization. We respect individual opinions. To the point where I, the Lord, rarely step forward myself.”
“I was under the impression that there were Dragonkin who wanted to go outside. That’s why they helped the Dark Elves.”
“As you said, the Dragonkin wanted to go beyond the mountain range. The reason was Asit.”
“How did Asit betray the Dragonkin?”
“……He killed two members of the clan and went outside the mountain range. In the end, only the monarchs are bound by the pact.”
In other words, only the monarchs were unable to leave the mountain range.
Which also meant that those who were not monarchs could leave it.
“It seems the monarchs don’t know about the loophole in the pact.”
“Because I never told them. If I had, someone trapped inside would have gone outside the mountain range, and Ragnar would have been put in a difficult position. That was the hidden contract I made with Ragnar’s first Head of the Family.”
This was why common sense was so frightening.
In the end, everyone followed the rules and laws established by the strong.
“……I never imagined there would be such a loophole, but if Asit went outside the mountain range, then the Dragonkin would know that as well, wouldn’t they?”
“Some know, but most do not. Besides, Asit has already built up power. If I, the only one who can deal with him, do not go out, then even if other Dragonkin do, the only result would be more sacrifices. That’s why the Dragonkin who know this truth are keeping their mouths shut.”
“Then why did you kill the Lizardmen monarch?”
“……Because he was trying to send Latyna outside the mountain range. Asit approached the Lizardmen king and told him about the loophole in the pact. Asit’s plan was probably to sow chaos within the mountain range and make them attack the Ragnar Family.”
“Then Latyna must not know any of that.”
“That’s right.”
Only now did it feel as though the pieces of the puzzle were fitting together.
The only time the Dragonkin had directly stepped before the monarchs was for the execution of the Lizardmen king.
In the end, the Dragonkin had not manipulated the monarchs from behind the scenes, but had tried to help them with minimal intervention.
“Originally, it should have been impossible for the Ork Lord to flee to the mountain range entrance. The Dark Elves and Vampires had thoroughly surrounded the Ork Clan so they couldn’t escape.”
“So that was also the Dragonkin’s doing?”
“The Dragonkin are beings who bear the duty of maintaining balance among the races. More than anyone else, we are wary of that balance collapsing.”
The Dragonkin had moved discreetly, maintaining balance among the monarchs.
Even when the Ice Dragon awakened, Reinhardt had tried to move, but since Kyle had taken care of it instead, he had lost his chance to step forward.
“Of course, I was also involved when the Ice Dragon was sealed.”
“……It seems I’ve had many misunderstandings about the Dragonkin.”
“The Ice Dragon, no matter what, shares the same roots as us Dragonkin. It was difficult to execute it with my own hands. But this time, I truly intended to kill the Ice Dragon. I couldn’t bear to watch the Dwarf Clan be annihilated by it. But then you stepped forward.”
“So that was how it was.”
“I wanted to thank you. Because you spared me from having to kill an Ice Dragon born from the same roots with my own hands. None of this is a coincidence. I believe fate simply repeats itself.”
At Reinhardt’s words, Kyle nodded in agreement.
The fact that he had fought the Dark Constellation when he lived as Ian Kailers, and that he had returned to Ragnar and become entangled with the monarchs, were all not coincidences.
Within this repeating fate, Kyle had to ensure that the same outcome as that of the first Head of the Family was not repeated.
‘Is that my mission?’
Kyle silently nodded.
Having made his decision, he looked steadily at Reinhardt.
“It seems the first Head of the Family judged that the races could not live together with humans. But I don’t think so.”
“Do you believe they can live in harmony with humans?”
“In reality, the people of Ragnar, along with the Orks and Dwarves, are already living together in harmony. Even if that period has been short, there is hope.”
Kyle extended his hand toward Reinhardt.
“Though we fought fiercely as enemies, as long as there’s no lingering malice between us, this can be mended. Will you trust the Ragnar Family once more?”
Reinhardt looked at the hand Kyle offered, then looked back at him with eyes filled with complex emotions.
To the question of whether he could trust them, the answer had always been the same.
He hadn’t trusted other humans, but Ragnar was different.
“This time as well, I’ll stake our fate on Ragnar.”
Clench—
Reinhardt clasped Kyle’s hand and smiled, baring his teeth.
He had expected that a day like this would come again someday.
However, that time and now were different.
His hatred toward humans remained unchanged, but his favorable feelings toward the Ragnar Family had grown even stronger.
“I intend to create a nation where demi-human races and humans can live together in peace.”
“Now that Ragnar will carry on the dynasty, all that remains is to lay the foundation.”
“If each race takes responsibility for matters within the mountain range, I’ll be able to move forward without worry.”
As long as each race prevented Monsters from flowing out into the world, Kyle planned to stand at the forefront of establishing a new nation.
Originally, he had planned not to step forward, trusting Pramo instead, but if harmony with each race was possible, then his plans could change.
“We’ll do so.”
“I want to break the pact formed between the monarchs and Ragnar. I want that to serve as the token of our promise.”
“I’ll convey your will to the monarchs.”
Yul, who had come straight from the Lizardmen territory to the White Castle, frowned deeply.
Not only were there no traces of battle, but Gina and Ardel—the culprits who had driven the Ork Clan to flee toward the mountain range entrance—were standing perfectly fine beside Kyle.
“Kyle, what is the meaning of this?”
“Calm down, Yul.”
“I’m asking why those two are standing next to you right now.”
Grit!
Yul ground his teeth as he glared at Gina and Ardel with murderous eyes.
Under his gaze, Gina lowered her head deeply.
As the atmosphere turned vicious, Reinhardt, unable to bear it any longer, stepped forward.
“That’s enough. Calm yourself, Yul.”
“……Lord Reinhardt.”
“I'm not unaware of what kind of feelings you harbor toward those two. But at least here, I would like you not to reveal those emotions.”
“They are the ones who took the lives of those who followed me! How could I possibly……!”
It wasn’t that Kyle couldn’t understand Yul’s inability to rein in his emotions.
Because of Gina and Ardel, the Ork Clan had suffered tremendous losses.
“For now, I would like you to listen to what the Heir of the Frostfire has to say first. I ask this of you.”
“……Hoo, understood.”
At Reinhardt’s request, Yul barely managed to calm himself and looked at Kyle.
He didn’t know why Kyle had spared Gina and Ardel, but he believed there must be a reason.
“Yul, I want each race and the Ragnar Family to join hands once more.”
“…….”
“In the end, each race was confined to the mountain range by humans. The first Head of the Family made that choice to save the races, but I want to look at it from a different perspective.”
“Hoo, yes, your words do have merit. After all, the Orks and Dwarves are gradually assimilating with the people of Ragnar. But I cannot live alongside the Dark Elves and Vampires. The entire Ork Clan feels the same.”
Kyle slowly closed and reopened his eyes.
He had expected persuading Yul would be difficult.
Because he knew how deep Yul’s hatred toward those two races ran.
“Yul, I want you to trust me.”
“……Of course I trust you. I know you’re not someone who makes choices thoughtlessly. But shouldn’t we honor the souls of those who were sacrificed for my sake? With the heads of those two, I will repay the humiliation the Ork Clan has suffered.”
At Yul’s reaction, Latyna, who had been standing behind him, also revealed killing intent and tightly gripped her spear shaft.
“They are my father’s enemies. The Lizardmen Clan shares the same opinion as the Ork Lord.”
Latyna glared fiercely at Gina and Ardel with eyes blazing like fire.
At that sight, Kyle shook his head from side to side.
“The Lizardmen Clan has no right to speak in this matter.”
“Kyle!”
“Evidence has been found that the Dark Caravan and the previous Lizardmen King were colluding.”
“What does that even…….”
“You can hear the details from Reinhardt separately. Yul, could you spare me some time for a private conversation?”
At Kyle’s request, Yul looked at Latyna, then soon nodded.
When Kyle went up to the White Castle’s defensive wall to speak with Yul privately, Gina grew restless and anxious.
Seeing that, Ardel took her hand.
“Gina, you must trust the Heir of the Frostfire.”
“……Ardel.”
“If I fail to persuade the Ork Lord, I will offer up my own life. Even if it comes to that, we must bring about an alliance between Ragnar and the monarchs.”
At Ardel’s resolute gaze, Gina pressed her lips tightly shut.
Kyle, who had come up onto the wall with Yul, fixed his gaze on the mountain range.
“I’m asking you.”
“Kyle, no matter how you put it, it’s hard for me to accept your words.”
“I know exactly how you feel. The Ragnar Family also fought a long battle with the Royal Family of the Kingdom of Daon. But now is not the time for the monarchs to fight among themselves.”
Kyle relayed everything he had heard from Reinhardt to Yul.
Since there was no way Yul wouldn’t know the hidden story behind the birth of the Dark Elves, he skipped over it and instead organized and conveyed only the key points.
“……You’re saying there’s someone who betrayed the Dragonkin and joined hands with the demonic races? And that person is Asit?”
“That’s right.”
“What a headache of a situation. I did find it strange that Asit was nowhere to be seen.”
Yul crossed his arms and looked at Kyle’s side profile.
Kyle was still staring intently at the mountain range.
“Yul, before coming to Ragnar, I fought fiercely against someone called Asit. To be precise, I fought the Dark Constellation, staking everything I had. It’s the same even now.”
“……So you’re saying they’re the greatest enemy of your life.”
“They are extremely dangerous. They conduct countless experiments by offering human lives as sacrifices. Those called Dark Knights are knights artificially created through that research.”
“……Black magic?”
“A kind of black magic, I suppose. They were people who even managed to create Master-rank swordsmen.”
Kyle spoke calmly, without hiding his past battles against the Dark Constellation.
Only after conveying all the facts did he turn his head and look at Yul.
“I have respected you as a friend.”
“…….”
“If, even at a friend’s request, you feel you can never forgive the Dark Elves and Vampires to the end, then I won’t try to persuade you any further.”
After Kyle’s resolute words, a long silence lingered.
How much time had passed after that? Yul, who had been tightly pressing his lips together, finally let out a sigh.
“Kyle, then let me set one condition as well.”
“Speak.”
“The seat beside Ragnar belongs to us Orks. As friends, and as allies, I want you not to forget that we were the first to extend our hand to Ragnar.”
As Yul spoke with a resolute expression, Kyle smiled and nodded firmly.
“Of course. I will never forget what the Ork Clan has done to help Ragnar up until now.”
“That’s enough, then.”
Yul also smiled as he looked at Kyle.
Though his ill feelings toward the Dark Elves and Vampires would remain, as long as Ragnar treated the Ork Clan properly, he could endure it.
With Kyle and Yul exchanging a handshake, their conversation came to an end.
Soon after the two came down from the wall, Gina bowed her head and apologized to Yul.
“I’m sorry. If you wish, I can even offer you my head.”
“……Unnecessary. It seems we’re not meant to see each other’s faces anyway, so don’t ever appear before me again.”
At Yul’s firm and icy tone, Gina deeply lowered her head.
Ardel, who had been standing beside her like a guard knight, was likewise unable to say a single word.
In the meantime, Latyna and Reinhardt, who had been away briefly, also returned.
The moment Reinhardt saw Kyle’s face, he subtly lifted one corner of his lips.
“Did the conversation end well?”
“I made him understand.”
“Then all that’s left is the Elf Clan.”
Reinhardt, the Dragonkin Monarch.
Yul, the Ork Monarch.
Iron, the Dwarf Monarch.
Gina, the Dark Elf Monarch.
Ardel, the Vampire Monarch.
Latyna, the Lizardmen’s prospective Monarch.
And Kyle, representing the Ragnar Family.
Gathered in one place, they looked at one another.
Now, the only monarch left was that of the Elf Clan.