Chapter 42 - Chapter 6: Encounter #4
“Prince, Prince! Wake up!”
Hearing Carack’s rugged voice, In-gong turned around reflexively and blocked his ears. However, it was useless. Carack’s crude hands shook In-gong’s shoulders.
He wanted to say, ‘Five more minutes...’ but woke up reluctantly from his sleep instead. Carack spoke with an apologetic voice as he looked at In-gong’s sleepy face.
"I know you are tired from yesterday, so I was going to let you sleep in. However, a letter from the Merits Department arrived.”
“Merits Department?”
Although he was still sleepy, In-gong expressed his curiosity. It was very rare thing for the Merits Department to contact someone first.
"Here is some water to wash up. You should wake up first.”
Carack extended a washbasin filled with cold water. After In-gong finished washing his face, he realized that Carack wasn’t the only one in the room.
"This is the letter from the Merits Department. Would you like me to open it?”
Flora, the butler he hired yesterday, was holding a tray containing a letter. In-gong nodded.
“Yes.”
In contrast to Carack’s excitement, Flora dutifully opened the envelope and politely handed the letter to In-gong.
‘It is a summons.’
The letter told him to come to the Merits Department because there was a new mission.
In-gong read everything and nodded. It was better to visit in person than to keep worrying about it.
"This is a mission from the demon king.”
“Huh?”
"This is a mission from the demon king.”
In-gong blinked and thought that he had heard wrongly. However, Isabella repeated the exact same words. She was speaking to In-gong but her eyes and voice also showed surprise.
In the end, Carack couldn’t bear it any longer and asked,
"The demon king picked a mission to give to Prince?”
His voice was tense from the confusion. Rather than take offense at Carack’s rudeness, Isabella folded her arms and said,
"I don't know the details. I was just given a command to leave this mission to 9th Prince.”
Just like how it was rare for the Merits Department to contact someone first, it was also very rare for the demon king to entrust a mission to a specific prince or princess.
'No, has it ever happened before?’
As he searched through his memories, he couldn’t recall a time when the demon king had given someone a mission.
First, there had been the encouragement at the court gathering. Now, there was a mission.
“A special mission?”
In-gong’s voice was tense. Isabella quickly shook her head.
“No, it is a mission that was already on the list.”
It was one of the missions already prepared for the children of the demon king.
Isabella was telling the truth but he felt like the reason wasn’t that simple.
“I understand, I will receive the mission. Do I need to sign anything?"
"Ah, over here.”
Along with the mission letter, Isabella extended a piece of paper containing the names of the demon king’s children. It seemed to be a mission confirmation sheet.
After signing it, In-gong received the letter and left the Merits Department. Carack followed him swiftly and asked,
"Prince, what is the mission?"
"Let’s go back first.”
There were rumours about the court gathering, so he felt people gawking at him from every direction.
In-gong felt very awkward, so he didn’t want to stand in the corridor talking to Carack.
&
"I heard that the Merits Department contacted you. Did you just come back from there?”
Chris and Caitlin were sitting side by side in the mansion’s drawing room.
In-gong laughed as soon as he saw them.
"News travels fast. Do you have a source of information?”
“No way, I just asked around.”
Chris laughed and In-gong nodded. It wasn’t a secret, so it wasn’t strange that Chris knew about it.
This time it was Caitlin who asked.
"Shutra, have you already received a new mission?”
“Yes, this is the mission.”
In-gong took out the letter and showed it to Chris and Caitlin. Chris narrowed his eyes and read it out loud.
"Subjugate the group of casios... It is a subjugation mission.”
"Is that at Enger Plains where the centaurs are?”
Chris nodded at In-gong’s question.
"Yes, I’ve been there once with Caitlin. Subjugating the casios is an annual event, so it will be good.”
The casios were wolf-like creatures that rushed in groups. Like Chris said, a large number of them appeared every year on the Enger Plains, so a periodic subjugation was needed.
‘In other words, this is a repeat quest.’
It was a mission that In-gong had performed repeatedly in Knight Saga.
Chris looked once again at the mission letter. The demon king had handed him a simple task but it could be a bit too much for the current In-gong.
He didn’t know what the demon king was thinking when he gave In-gong this mission. Was he really showing favouritism to In-gong?
"Well, it will be fine if it is Shutra. You can do it.”
Rather than questioning it, Chris gave In-gong words of encouragement while Caitlin stroked his head with an expression of worry.
"Although Caitlin and I would like to go with you... We don’t have an unreasonable number of appointments like Felicia noonim but we still have a schedule.”
"Are you going back to the land of the lycanthropes?”
Chris nodded at In-gong’s question.
“Yes. Not yet, but soon. I delayed my departure for a few days because of my promise to teach you Aura. So, you will leave first.”
"Shutra is departing tomorrow. Today, I will definitely teach you.”
Caitlin made fists enthusiastically. She felt a little bit bad for the delay on her promise to teach him Divine Beast Authority and Aura.
'Genuine sincerity.'
It was the type of sincerity that had made her attempt to break the cliff.
Chris laughed like he thought Caitlin was cute and said to In-gong,
"Shutra, tell Felicia noonim the news.
“Huh? Felicia noona?”
"If you just go, she will surely have a grudge. Additionally, you have something to receive from Noonim.”
"Something to receive?”
"You will know soon.”
In-gong wouldn’t have time while being taught, so he sent Flora to Felicia’s home.
"Okay, then Caitlin, let’s begin. I will help you today, so expect a lot.”
Chris’ muscles flexed. Caitlin’s face was also full of motivation.
Thanks to the ambitious lycanthrope siblings, one day passed in a flash.
&
Felicia appeared the next morning after the news was conveyed. It wasn’t at In-gong’ home, but in front of the transfer formation.
"I’m not late.”
"Not late? I have been waiting.”
Felicia glared at Chris after his mocking words. This was really friendly in comparison to when they had first met at the Red Lightning tribe.
Five people were standing in front of the transfer formation. They were Chris, Caitlin, Seira, In-gong and Carack.
Felicia approached In-gong.
“Shutra, the dark elves are an honourable species. A favour or grudge is never easily forgotten.”
Felicia was late for a reason. She had things to prepare.
"I heard that you are going to Enger Plains. You’ll need quick feet to go with the centaurs. Ride these special guys.”
Felicia gestured to the two big dracos in front of her. They were very well reigned and behaved in front of In-gong and Carack.
“And this.”
Felicia pulled out a necklace and handed it to In-gong. The necklace was the real reason why Felicia was late.
It was a crescent-shaped, silver ornament with a purple gem.
In-gong knew what this necklace was. So, he couldn’t hide his embarrassment.
“Felicia noona?”
The tears of a dark elf from 6th Princess Felicia Doomblade, daughter of 3rd Queen Sylvia Doomblade and princess of the dark elves.
"You said that you won’t easily forget?”
Felicia winked playfully and embraced In-gong lightly.
"Take care of your body.”
Felicia patted his back a few times before stepping back. Her ears and cheeks were red like she was shy about her actions.
Caitlin also hugged In-gong lightly.
"Be careful."
As always, it was a bright smile. In-gong nodded then Chris said from the rear.
"Well, shall I just let you go?”
"Hyung should hold out your hand.”
In response to In-gong’ reply, Chris laughed and stroked his head.
"Come back safely."
"Yes, Chris hyung should also be healthy.”
In-gong said goodbye to everyone. Carack also said goodbye to Seira and entered with In-gong.
In-gong looked at Caitlin one more time before entering the transfer formation.
&
The Assenba Continent, which was connected continuously from the north to the south, was divided into two parts.
They were travelling from the north to the south.
The boundary across the continent was unclear and ambiguous. There were places where the Demon World and Human World were directly connected like the Jishuka Mountains. There were also places with a zone in the middle.
There was a huge lake on the continent called Caldea,
A desert that led to the deaths of everything alive that entered it,
A deep wall of unfathomable depths,
And one more.
It was something that hadn’t stopped once since the world opened.
It was a being who refused to lie down and take a break. Red and yellow lava spewed out and covered his body but he wasn’t in any pain. Rather, he felt comfortable in the burning lava.
He had been born in lava. No flame in this world could hurt him.
The great Enkidu.
One of the six elder dragons that was said to have the power of a god.
He had received a shock as a guest had come to visit him for the first time in hundreds of years.
He was small.
Compared to Enkidu who was the size of a mountain, he was a mere speck.
However, Enkidu showed interest instead of ignoring him. He looked down at the body wrapped in black and red armour.
Conquest, war, famine and death.
The four prophesied knights of the Apocalypse.
Enkidu knew who was in front of him. Not long ago, he had felt the distinct aura of conquest coming from the Jishuka Mountains.
It was a flame;
A flame that constantly swallowed up everything.
Enkidu called his name,
"Start, War Knight.”
It was a person who lived in eternal struggle.
The War Knight opened his mouth.