“To get straight to the point…”
“……”
“You’ve been dismissed from your position as commander.”
“…I see.”
Ginovan nodded as if indifferent.
Jun tilted his head slightly at his reaction.
“You don’t seem particularly pleased.”
Though it was technically a punishment, the Voltaine Ore Fields were practically a place of exile.
While it wasn’t an honorable way to step down, all things considered, it was an extremely light sentence.
But Ginovan replied with a bitter smile.
“To be honest, I don’t even have the energy to think that far right now.”
It was understandable.
Too much had happened to him in such a short span of time.
However, in line with Jun’s belief that it’s better to take all the shock at once, there was still one unresolved issue that had to be dealt with.
“Have you heard the phrase, ‘Time heals all wounds’?”
“I’ve heard it before.”
He had heard it countless times from people around him when he got news of his parents’ death.
“That’s why I’ve been wondering whether to give you the blue pill of time or the red pill of reality.”
“Blue pill, red pill…?”
“So, what will it be? Would you like to hear it?”
“I don’t know what it is, but give me this red pill.”
“Botan. The investigation into him has made some progress.”
Right after Botan had first come here, Jun had immediately contacted Chloe to find out more about him.
On top of that, upon hearing the news, Dexter had also written a letter to Natalie, who remained on the first level.
The reply had arrived quickly.
“Botan, that man…”
“You mean he was the one who ordered my parents’ deaths?”
“……!”
Caught completely off guard by Ginovan’s response, Jun could only open and close his mouth in silence, and Ginovan gave a bitter smile.
“I’d like to be alone for a while. Could you leave me?”
At those words, all Jun could do was nod.
***
Several days passed.
Originally, they should have already headed to the final inspection site of the fourth level, but this incident was no ordinary affair.
Two imperial princes had nearly been assassinated, followed by an attack from the Heavenly Church.
On top of that, with the appearance of a giant poisonous mushroom, the entire mine had been designated as a restricted area.
Because of this, the miners working there were suddenly left without jobs, cast out onto the streets overnight.
It would take a long time to provide relief for them and to resolve the larger incident.
While everyone else was spending their days busily dealing with the aftermath, Jun and his companions found themselves oddly idle and floating in limbo.
It was around that time that Ginovan called for Jun once more.
***
“I began suspecting Botan from the moment he first came to visit me here.”
He explained that he found it suspicious. How someone who hadn’t shown his face even once after the funeral of his parents would suddenly come looking for him.
“But the decisive factor was the letter you sent me.”
“A letter about what happened in the surface black market, I assume?”
“Exactly.”
And wasn’t Botan also part of a merchant guild that traveled between Blackout and the surface, selling herbs?
While gradually looking into him, Ginovan came across various bits of information. One of them was about the period when Botan’s influence within the guild had begun to grow significantly.
“It was right around the time he gained that power within the guild… that my parents died.”
“That’s when your suspicions began?”
“Yes. Our family’s money started vanishing rapidly, and he disappeared after pocketing under-the-table money through an investment scheme.”
However, Ginovan couldn’t be sure at the time whether that incident was truly connected to the death of his parents.
The only thing he was certain of was that the victims of Botan’s schemes had been trying to rally around his parents.
In truth, Botan assassinated his parents before the lawsuit could take shape.
An assassination disguised as a bandit raid.
That was what Jun and the Imperial family had uncovered about Botan’s past.
“So it really was true. I had my doubts, but…”
Ginovan’s response after hearing the full story was calmer than expected.
“In the end, both you and I already knew what his fate would be.”
“…Yes, we did.”
So then, was that why Ginovan had stayed holed up in his room all this time?
Jun was thinking just that, when—
“There’s something I want to ask you.”
“What is it?”
The truth behind this incident?
The true identity of the Heavenly Church?
Or perhaps… who bears responsibility for all of this?
Jun had been prepared to answer anything, but the question that followed from Ginovan was completely unexpected.
“No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t make sense. I can’t shake the feeling that my punishment was far too light.”
In a way, that line of thinking was understandable.
Even though Ginovan had made significant contributions in this incident—
He was still blood-related to a high treasonous criminal, and had nearly been manipulated by the Heavenly Church while attempting to investigate the organization on his own, without reporting it to anyone.
On top of that, the Voltaine Ore Fields under his management had suffered significant damage due to this incident.
Someone had to be held accountable.
And yet, the fact that Ginovan’s punishment ended merely in dismissal from his post was indeed odd.
“Did you pull some strings for me?”
“All I did was report the full details of what happened.”
That was the truth.
In fact, even before Jun could do anything, Dexter had already stepped up to defend Ginovan.
“I never imagined I’d be given another chance like this.”
“A chance… you say?”
“If you read my journal, then you’d know. What I’ve dreamed of achieving with this sword.”
Ginovan softly stroked the longsword, worn and marked with use, as he drew it.
“It’s a bit embarrassing to say this now, but… you probably thought I’d fall apart in despair, didn’t you?”
“…Ahem. Not to that extent, but yes. I was worried.”
“Haha. I just needed time to sort things out, that’s all.”
“Have you… sorted them out now?”
“To some extent. To be honest, being a knight was the best path I could walk as a swordsman.”
His father and mother had both been knights. It was only natural that Ginovan, who grew up watching them, would follow the same path.
“And so, my ambition to succeed with the sword was essentially no different from reaching the pinnacle as a knight.”
“……”
“But when that corrupted spirit took root in me, and I thought it was all over… I came to regret a lot of things.”
Jun could guess the feeling.
He must’ve thought of all the opportunities he’d missed along the way.
“My goal was noble, but my methods were wrong. If I had truly pursued the sword alone, then whether I was a knight, a mercenary, or even just a wandering swordsman, it wouldn’t have mattered.”
“…Are you saying…”
Was he now planning to give up the path of knighthood and instead walk the path of a mercenary?
As Jun gave him a questioning look, Ginovan burst into hearty laughter.
“But seeing you, I realize being a mercenary looks just as tough. Isn’t that right?”
“…Haha. Yeah, we do have a lot of people to keep in check.”
Especially with everything he’d been involved in lately…. there was no denying that.
Before Jun took over the White Whale Mercenaries, hadn’t he already spent most of his life reading the room and tiptoeing around others?
Of course, a former knight like Ginovan would never be treated that way.
“That said, I can’t really see myself joining an ordinary mercenary corps. The captain would constantly have to tiptoe around me. And even if I were to lead one myself… I’m not confident I’d do a good job.”
That was when an idea came to him.
“Just once…would it be alright if I asked you a shameless favor?”.
“Please go ahead.”
“Connect me with the Gillen Merchant Guild.”
“Gillen… you say?”
“I’m no merchant, but I believe I’m more than capable of protecting someone.”
Startled by those words, Jun blurted out without thinking.
“Are you serious?”
“Even if I give up the title of Knight King… well, aiming for something like Guardian King doesn’t sound so bad, does it?”
A knight. Not just any knight, but someone with such outstanding potential that he graduated from the Imperial Academy with top honors….now offering to walk in on his own two feet.
Chloe’s going to love this.
It wasn’t surprising that such a thought crossed Jun’s mind.
Still… maybe I should ask him to think it over one more time?
He considered it, but only for a moment.
“……”
When he saw Ginovan, not looking at the uniform hanging on the wall but instead at his sword, Jun simply couldn’t bring himself to say it.
Instead—
“She’s greedy when it comes to money, but just as greedy when it comes to people. I’m sure she’ll welcome your decision, Sir Ginovan.”
“Haha. Thanks for saying that.”
“I’ll send the letter right away.”
“Efficient as always. I’m counting on you, Jun.”
“I wish you a speedy recovery, Sir Ginovan.”
The sun was setting.
In the room now bathed in moonlight, Ginovan remained alone, gazing at the blade glinting under the lunar glow.
“I’m still no different than I was back then.”
***
By the time Jun stepped out of Ginovan’s office—
He saw someone running down the hallway in the distance.
“……?”
Had someone come to visit?
The thought crossed his mind but only briefly.
Could’ve been a staff member.
After all, tensions had been high recently.
If anyone even thought about stepping into the commander’s office, they’d probably panic and bolt.
With that, Jun made his way toward the quarters of Dexter and Javier.
That place was now heavily guarded by the Heavenly Dragon Knights who were no longer even bothering to hide their presence after the recent incident.
“Welcome.”
“I’ve come to see His Highness.”
“Sir Javier has stepped out for a moment.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
With that brief exchange, Jun was allowed inside.
Perhaps it was thanks to their recent exploits.
The Heavenly Dragon Knights were surprisingly warm toward Jun and his companions.
“Ah, there you are. How was Sir Ginovan?”
“He seems to be recovering well, thankfully.”
“Is that so? Haha, that’s good to hear. Really, it is.”
“Though… you seem more invested in him than I expected.”
“Coming from you, that’s fair. But as you know, Ginovan isn’t someone who should be stuck in a place like this.”
“That’s true.”
After all, he was a knight who had graduated from the Imperial Academy with top honors.
An elite among elites. With the right connections and opportunities, no one would have batted an eye if he’d joined one of the top-tier knight orders.
“That’s why I’ve been considering appointing him separately.”
“…Are you serious?”
Jun hadn’t expected it, but he was surprised at how openly Dexter said it.
Even if Ginovan was elite, the Imperial family had no shortage of knights just as or even more qualified.
But in Dexter’s eyes, Ginovan was a knight he could genuinely trust.
According to reports, even this mage is known to be extremely selective about people. And yet he places his trust in Ginovan. The man’s capable, talented… if given time, he’ll more than prove his worth.
Above all, Ginovan was someone who had repeatedly put his life on the line to help Jun. He trusted Jun and acted on that trust, even without any guarantees.
Where would you ever find a knight with that kind of backbone?
This must be what people mean when they say you slay a drake, take the egg, clear the lair, and gain a stroke of fortune all in one go.
Not only had they taken down a target so dangerous it could poison food from a distance with a skill like Intent Infusion…
This incident had also injured the Heavenly Church’s influence.
There had been risks and plenty of complications, but gaining a knight like Ginovan was a reward in itself.
Besides, I’m getting to the point where I want to start appointing more of my own people.
Aden and Ben, who serve his father. Dexter also had a desire. Someday, he wanted to personally select and raise a knight like that.
To someone like him, Ginovan was an undeniably appealing card.
However—
“Um, Sir Dexter.”
“Hmm? What is it? Go ahead and speak.”
“Well, actually…”
And with Jun’s explanation that followed, along with the new resolution Ginovan came to—
“…Bring me a drink.”
“……”
—ended up leaving the First Prince more dejected than expected.
***
– Haaah… I really thought I was going to die this time…
As usual, the man appeared with a voice as flat as a clown drunk on liquor. He had no pitch and no inflection.
But this time, anyone could tell that voice truly sounded like he was on the verge of death.
– Aden… that senile old man is terrifyingly strong…
Dragged briefly into another dimension by Aden, and even punished for breaking the “rules” in the lower levels…
– Seriously, where is everyone and what are they even doing…
Truthfully, he would’ve preferred to dump this whole mess on someone else. But he couldn’t reach anyone.
In the end, he had to suffer through it himself again.
Even so, he couldn’t just not come.
Because the true objective behind this incident still had to be recovered.
– Poison Master… You did just as I asked. Good job. Clap clap…
Poison Master.
Or rather, he had to retrieve the seed of the spirit that had devoured Poison Master.
– I wonder just how far this thing will shake things up… I’m looking forward to it…
Once this was over, he swore he wouldn’t get involved like this again. At least for a while.
Having made that promise, he took the “seed” he’d found in a corner of the mine and disappeared.
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