“Arin,” Chang-Sun said.
“What?”
“Can you secure the warp gate we just passed through?”
Ardrin Tigernmas’ eyes twinkled. “You’re going to expand the secret passageway?”
Chang-Sun nodded. “We should be able to bring the Revolutionary Army over at any time.”
“Isn’t it better to use your subordinates? If they’re anything like him, they must quite a force to be reckoned with.” Arin glanced at Jin Prezia, who was running beside Treville Prezia. Finding out that someone like Jin was only one of Chang-Sun’s subordinates dumbfounded her.
Chang-Sun calmly shook his head. “No, it’s not time for me to reveal myself yet.”
“So I should be your face and attract all the attention?”
“...”
“Okay. All right, all right. Well, I should at least be prepared to do this much to get Arcadia.” Arin smiled, which then turned mischievous. “I’ll do anything you want. Just promise me one thing.”
“...?”
“let me have a lot of fun.”
Chang-Sun smiled back. “You’ll have so much fun that you’ll be rolling on the floor.”
“That’s good enough for me.”
Exchanging silly conversations, Chang-Sun and the others darted toward the Prezia Manor.
Paaah―!
[The Celestial ‘Unknown Ancient Celestial’ has used her ability as the Planet Celestial to strengthen the Backchannel between the Planets ‘Helath’ and ‘Eos’!]
[The Backchannel has been secured.]
[The Backchannel’s capacity is increasing! 15 people → 30 people.]
...
[71 people → 95 people.]
...
* * *
The Prezia Family was one of the Eight Ducal Families that greatly contributed to developing Arcadia from a mere nation in one of Helath’s continents to a galactic civilization
According to a legend, the Prezia Family was a merchant family that had accumulated significant wealth using the legacy of an Ancient Celestial, the name of whom nobody knew. They were known to be loyal enough to give up everything they had to protect the Imperial Family and uphold their honor.
However, dozens of years ago, the Prezia Family was charged with high treason due to an incident that was later named the Prezia’s Bloodbath Battle, causing their multiple downfalls. Thanks to their ancestors’ accomplishments, the family managed to keep their title as one of the Ducal Families and Great Families, but all those titles could be stripped away at any time.
Hence, hyenas were circling the Prezia Family right now, hoping to take their place once their inevitable demise had come. The Hornan Family was one of them.
As the family’s head, Morgan de Hornan fervently delivered several speeches to Sietle Prezia, the lady and pillar of the house that he used to serve with loyalty. Ending his monologue, he said, “It’s time to make a decision, Your Grace.”
“....”
“Your Grace, I’ve told you several times that it would only undermine Young Master Treville’s position if you keep delaying!”
Despite his insistence, however, Sietle’s mouth remained shut. She didn’t even look at Morgan, making it seem as if he had nothing to do with any of what he had told her.
“Your Grace!”
“Are you finished with your business in the manor, Morgan?” Sietle asked with elegance.
“You haven’t given me an ans—!”
“I see no reason to answer you, nor am I obliged to, so would you kindly leave the room?” Sietle looked at Morgan with emotionless eyes.
Morgan gasped as he locked eyes with her.
‘Shit!’ he cursed, having realized that he lost his nerve.
It had already been over twenty years since the Hornan Family quit as the Prezia Family’s vassal. No longer required to submit to them, he didn’t have to call Sietle ‘Your Grace’ anymore. He still felt so timid whenever he met her that he couldn’t help himself, though.
Perhaps it was because of Sietle’s spirit as the lady of the house—no, as a warrior. She could command dozens of the vassal families with one word and protected her family even as it rapidly declined. Even the Imperial Family and others in the government grieved over the fact that she would rather remain buried in the grave named the Prezia Family.
“Phew!” Morgan took a deep breath to regain his composure. With cold eyes, he continued, “I’ll take the hint and get going, but remember, Your Grace. His Highness, the Second Prince, is the only one who can guarantee your survival as well as the Prezia Family and Young Master Treville’s.”
“Are you asking me to yield to this blatant blackmail to give up our Dominion Seal, which is no different from our family’s life, in return for our survival?”
“Isn’t forsaking one object a small price to pay for your continued existence?” Morgan shrugged.
The Dominion Seal symbolized the Prezia Family’s head. Carrying it meant that one represented the honor and influence that their family had accumulated over thousands of years. When Morgan left the Prezia Family and started providing his services to another, he began to wish for his new master to get the Prezia Family’s honor and glory too. After all, it would mean that his new master would be closer to the throne.
Ding! Ding!
Sietle shook the bell on the table, showing her refusal to continue the conversation. A butler soon entered the room.
“Did you summon me, Your Grace?”
“My guest is leaving. Please see him off.” Sietle turned away.
“Please follow me, my lord.” The butler gestured at Morgan.
“Hmph! Do as you wish!” Morgan stormed out, almost kicking away the carpet.
‘That spiteful bitch is willing to sacrifice her son to save her husband’s family!’ Morgan gritted his teeth hard. ‘What should I do? It’s hard to foresee the momentum of this fight without the Dominion Seal.’
The series of problems that the Aquarius Order, the ally of the Second Prince’s faction, had to deal with had put the Hornan Family and the Second Prince’s faction in a bad situation.
‘Those rebel scums have occupied Eos, and all their affiliated orders have been destroyed! To make things worse, the order is also at war with the order of ‘Sagittarius’! Why can’t they do their jobs properly?!’
The Star Order was a mess. The Revolutionary Army had destroyed Ursa Major Order, and one after another, the orders of Hydrus, Lacerta, and several other Star Signs who were affiliated with the Aquarius Order lost their power. The clergy of twenty seven orders were demoted to civilians overnight.
The Eos incident left too many social repercussions, leaving everything in chaos. The former Star Order clergy conducted various eccentric attempts to recover their power while their followers wailed and begged for their Guardians to come back. Meanwhile, the orders who were on bad terms with the orders that had fallen began to retaliate, weakening the Aquarius Order’s influence day by day. Amid all of it, ‘Aquarius’ suddenly delivered a prophecy.
“Exterminate the minions of ‘Sagittarius,’ who dared set foot in the field of heresy, from this land.”
Even though the prophecy came out of nowhere, the clergy of ‘Aquarius’ was popular for their fanaticism. Hence, they faithfully ambushed the clergy of ‘Sagittarius.’ Interpreting the prophecy as having to hold ‘Sagittarius’ and his clergy accountable for the Eos incident, those who had lost their Guardians also attacked the Sagittarius Order. With the followers of both factions getting involved, their small conflict began escalating into a war.
The Imperial Family and those in the government naturally took the matter seriously and tried to intervene, but the alliance of the Imperial Family and Star Order was so tight that the Imperial Family couldn’t keep themselves away from all the confusion.
The most popular ongoing conflict was between the Second Prince and Eleventh Prince, whose Guardians were ‘Aquarius’ and ‘Sagittarius’ respectively. Due to the Arcadian Emperor’s lack of passion for ruling the empire, an intense succession war broke out within the Imperial Family, leaving them vulnerable to the confusion caused by the Star Order. A civil war could erupt between the two princes and relevant orders at any moment.
The Revolutionary Army was right outside their door, and the two princes were in the middle of an intense conflict within the Imperial Palace. Although the Imperial Family wasn’t sure what was going on above, things in <Horoscope> were also hectic.
Arcadia, which had been at peace the past several hundred years, would fall into mayhem at this rate. That was why Morgan wished to bring the Prezia Family’s honor and glory to the Second Prince before the situation got even more out of control.
‘What if I kidnapped Sietle right now?’
Morgan seriously considered mobilizing his knights, who were standing by outside. When Treville went missing in Eos, Morgan tried blackmailing Sietle using the news, but she didn’t budge.
He had to take a more aggressive measure. The remaining soldiers of the Prezia Family had to be a bunch of nobodies anyway.
“I have no other choice.” Morgan smiled slyly.
Although he was feeling a bit guilty about having to use physical threats against his old master, his hands were tied. After all, this was all for the greater good.
“Charles,” Morgan called his Hornan Knight Order commander, who was walking beside him.
“Yes, my lord.” Charles bowed.
“I have come to realize that we are in troubled times right now. We have no choice but to escort Her Grace to a safer place.”
“Yes, sir!” Charles saluted.
“Wh-what do you mean?! Where are you taking Her Gra—Keough!”
Smack!
The butler, who was watching them from the side, refuted in surprise, but Charles quickly punched him in the abdomen to stop him.
“How are you supposed to serve your master when you don’t even know when not to interrupt a conversation? Tsk! Escort him to the carriage.”
“N-no! N-not Her Grace!” the butler stammered.
Two knights grabbed one of the old butler’s arms each. He desperately struggled, but freeing himself from two physically fit knights proved impossible. He turned pale, wondering if the end of the Prezia Family had come.
Boooom!
“Arggggh!”
“Wh-what in the world—!”
“S-stop—Keough!”
Morgan and Charles turned to the front door with widened eyes, following the commotion happening outside.
Booooom!
As they did, the manor’s front door and walls around it were pulverized. Something catapulted in their direction and fell to the floor, rolling.
“... Z-Zester?” Morgan’s eyes widened further. The one that flew toward them was the knight he treasured as much as he did Charles.
Up until a moment ago, Zester was standing guard outside, wearing splendid full-plate armor. Now, however, he was reduced to a mess, and his armor was destroyed beyond repair. His plate armor had dents all over like an abandoned can, and his crushed chest plate exuded a thick burning scent.
Well aware of Zester’s outstanding martial prowess, Morgan couldn’t help but be surprised.
“I didn’t expect to see you here. What brings you here, Lord Morgan?
However, he was more astounded by the fact that the one who defeated Zester was Treville, who was supposed to be at Eos.
“Yo-Young Master, how are you here—?!” Morgan stammered.
“What’s wrong? Should I not be here?” Treville answered coldly, making Morgan purse his lips.
Although Morgan had a lot to say, he had a feeling that if he wasn’t careful with his words, Traville would only tell him that he was spouting nonsense and treat him the way he did Zester.
‘How in the world is this possible...?’ Morgan wondered. His lack of understanding of how Treville defeated Zester was only more reason to be careful. Even though Morgan heard long ago that Treville had become the apostle of ‘Canis Minor,’ Treville wasn’t this skilled back then. The air around him was a lot different than before as well. It was as if he was now serving a different Guardian!
However, something else entirely sent a shiver down Morgan’s spine.
“Second Prince? Isn’t it that idiot who sided with Sadalmelik?” A man wearing a metal mask slowly entered the manor.
As in the presence of a god, Treville treated the man with respect. “That is right.”
‘M-me-metal mask...?! W-wait!’ Morgan couldn’t say anything even though the man insulted his master.
The moment Morgan saw the man’s metal mask, he remembered the notorious terrorist who had taken over Eos and devastated several Star Sign orders. Morgan trembled as profusely as an aspen leaf.
Chang-Sun, the Metal Mask, turned to look at Morgan with mischievous eyes. It was as if he had just found an interesting toy. “Sadalmelik must be in quite a hurry to leave a loose trail like this.”
Being able to drive Sadalmelik even further into a corner made Chang-Sun happy.
「Tsk! He’s unlucky.」
“I know. He should have stayed put. Out of all the dates he could choose, he decided to make a move today. Tsk, tsk.”
Jin and Arin shook their heads, able to picture Morgan’s imminent future.
“Arin,” Chang-Sun said.
“What?”
“Can you secure the warp gate we just passed through?”
Ardrin Tigernmas’ eyes twinkled. “You’re going to expand the secret passageway?”
Chang-Sun nodded. “We should be able to bring the Revolutionary Army over at any time.”
“Isn’t it better to use your subordinates? If they’re anything like him, they must quite a force to be reckoned with.” Arin glanced at Jin Prezia, who was running beside Treville Prezia. Finding out that someone like Jin was only one of Chang-Sun’s subordinates dumbfounded her.
Chang-Sun calmly shook his head. “No, it’s not time for me to reveal myself yet.”
“So I should be your face and attract all the attention?”
“...”
“Okay. All right, all right. Well, I should at least be prepared to do this much to get Arcadia.” Arin smiled, which then turned mischievous. “I’ll do anything you want. Just promise me one thing.”
“...?”
“let me have a lot of fun.”
Chang-Sun smiled back. “You’ll have so much fun that you’ll be rolling on the floor.”
“That’s good enough for me.”
Exchanging silly conversations, Chang-Sun and the others darted toward the Prezia Manor.
Paaah―!
[The Celestial ‘Unknown Ancient Celestial’ has used her ability as the Planet Celestial to strengthen the Backchannel between the Planets ‘Helath’ and ‘Eos’!]
[The Backchannel has been secured.]
[The Backchannel’s capacity is increasing! 15 people → 30 people.]
...
[71 people → 95 people.]
...
* * *
The Prezia Family was one of the Eight Ducal Families that greatly contributed to developing Arcadia from a mere nation in one of Helath’s continents to a galactic civilization
According to a legend, the Prezia Family was a merchant family that had accumulated significant wealth using the legacy of an Ancient Celestial, the name of whom nobody knew. They were known to be loyal enough to give up everything they had to protect the Imperial Family and uphold their honor.
However, dozens of years ago, the Prezia Family was charged with high treason due to an incident that was later named the Prezia’s Bloodbath Battle, causing their multiple downfalls. Thanks to their ancestors’ accomplishments, the family managed to keep their title as one of the Ducal Families and Great Families, but all those titles could be stripped away at any time.
Hence, hyenas were circling the Prezia Family right now, hoping to take their place once their inevitable demise had come. The Hornan Family was one of them.
As the family’s head, Morgan de Hornan fervently delivered several speeches to Sietle Prezia, the lady and pillar of the house that he used to serve with loyalty. Ending his monologue, he said, “It’s time to make a decision, Your Grace.”
“....”
“Your Grace, I’ve told you several times that it would only undermine Young Master Treville’s position if you keep delaying!”
Despite his insistence, however, Sietle’s mouth remained shut. She didn’t even look at Morgan, making it seem as if he had nothing to do with any of what he had told her.
“Your Grace!”
“Are you finished with your business in the manor, Morgan?” Sietle asked with elegance.
“You haven’t given me an ans—!”
“I see no reason to answer you, nor am I obliged to, so would you kindly leave the room?” Sietle looked at Morgan with emotionless eyes.
Morgan gasped as he locked eyes with her.
‘Shit!’ he cursed, having realized that he lost his nerve.
It had already been over twenty years since the Hornan Family quit as the Prezia Family’s vassal. No longer required to submit to them, he didn’t have to call Sietle ‘Your Grace’ anymore. He still felt so timid whenever he met her that he couldn’t help himself, though.
Perhaps it was because of Sietle’s spirit as the lady of the house—no, as a warrior. She could command dozens of the vassal families with one word and protected her family even as it rapidly declined. Even the Imperial Family and others in the government grieved over the fact that she would rather remain buried in the grave named the Prezia Family.
“Phew!” Morgan took a deep breath to regain his composure. With cold eyes, he continued, “I’ll take the hint and get going, but remember, Your Grace. His Highness, the Second Prince, is the only one who can guarantee your survival as well as the Prezia Family and Young Master Treville’s.”
“Are you asking me to yield to this blatant blackmail to give up our Dominion Seal, which is no different from our family’s life, in return for our survival?”
“Isn’t forsaking one object a small price to pay for your continued existence?” Morgan shrugged.
The Dominion Seal symbolized the Prezia Family’s head. Carrying it meant that one represented the honor and influence that their family had accumulated over thousands of years. When Morgan left the Prezia Family and started providing his services to another, he began to wish for his new master to get the Prezia Family’s honor and glory too. After all, it would mean that his new master would be closer to the throne.
Ding! Ding!
Sietle shook the bell on the table, showing her refusal to continue the conversation. A butler soon entered the room.
“Did you summon me, Your Grace?”
“My guest is leaving. Please see him off.” Sietle turned away.
“Please follow me, my lord.” The butler gestured at Morgan.
“Hmph! Do as you wish!” Morgan stormed out, almost kicking away the carpet.
‘That spiteful bitch is willing to sacrifice her son to save her husband’s family!’ Morgan gritted his teeth hard. ‘What should I do? It’s hard to foresee the momentum of this fight without the Dominion Seal.’
The series of problems that the Aquarius Order, the ally of the Second Prince’s faction, had to deal with had put the Hornan Family and the Second Prince’s faction in a bad situation.
‘Those rebel scums have occupied Eos, and all their affiliated orders have been destroyed! To make things worse, the order is also at war with the order of ‘Sagittarius’! Why can’t they do their jobs properly?!’
The Star Order was a mess. The Revolutionary Army had destroyed Ursa Major Order, and one after another, the orders of Hydrus, Lacerta, and several other Star Signs who were affiliated with the Aquarius Order lost their power. The clergy of twenty seven orders were demoted to civilians overnight.
The Eos incident left too many social repercussions, leaving everything in chaos. The former Star Order clergy conducted various eccentric attempts to recover their power while their followers wailed and begged for their Guardians to come back. Meanwhile, the orders who were on bad terms with the orders that had fallen began to retaliate, weakening the Aquarius Order’s influence day by day. Amid all of it, ‘Aquarius’ suddenly delivered a prophecy.
“Exterminate the minions of ‘Sagittarius,’ who dared set foot in the field of heresy, from this land.”
Even though the prophecy came out of nowhere, the clergy of ‘Aquarius’ was popular for their fanaticism. Hence, they faithfully ambushed the clergy of ‘Sagittarius.’ Interpreting the prophecy as having to hold ‘Sagittarius’ and his clergy accountable for the Eos incident, those who had lost their Guardians also attacked the Sagittarius Order. With the followers of both factions getting involved, their small conflict began escalating into a war.
The Imperial Family and those in the government naturally took the matter seriously and tried to intervene, but the alliance of the Imperial Family and Star Order was so tight that the Imperial Family couldn’t keep themselves away from all the confusion.
The most popular ongoing conflict was between the Second Prince and Eleventh Prince, whose Guardians were ‘Aquarius’ and ‘Sagittarius’ respectively. Due to the Arcadian Emperor’s lack of passion for ruling the empire, an intense succession war broke out within the Imperial Family, leaving them vulnerable to the confusion caused by the Star Order. A civil war could erupt between the two princes and relevant orders at any moment.
The Revolutionary Army was right outside their door, and the two princes were in the middle of an intense conflict within the Imperial Palace. Although the Imperial Family wasn’t sure what was going on above, things in <Horoscope> were also hectic.
Arcadia, which had been at peace the past several hundred years, would fall into mayhem at this rate. That was why Morgan wished to bring the Prezia Family’s honor and glory to the Second Prince before the situation got even more out of control.
‘What if I kidnapped Sietle right now?’
Morgan seriously considered mobilizing his knights, who were standing by outside. When Treville went missing in Eos, Morgan tried blackmailing Sietle using the news, but she didn’t budge.
He had to take a more aggressive measure. The remaining soldiers of the Prezia Family had to be a bunch of nobodies anyway.
“I have no other choice.” Morgan smiled slyly.
Although he was feeling a bit guilty about having to use physical threats against his old master, his hands were tied. After all, this was all for the greater good.
“Charles,” Morgan called his Hornan Knight Order commander, who was walking beside him.
“Yes, my lord.” Charles bowed.
“I have come to realize that we are in troubled times right now. We have no choice but to escort Her Grace to a safer place.”
“Yes, sir!” Charles saluted.
“Wh-what do you mean?! Where are you taking Her Gra—Keough!”
Smack!
The butler, who was watching them from the side, refuted in surprise, but Charles quickly punched him in the abdomen to stop him.
“How are you supposed to serve your master when you don’t even know when not to interrupt a conversation? Tsk! Escort him to the carriage.”
“N-no! N-not Her Grace!” the butler stammered.
Two knights grabbed one of the old butler’s arms each. He desperately struggled, but freeing himself from two physically fit knights proved impossible. He turned pale, wondering if the end of the Prezia Family had come.
Boooom!
“Arggggh!”
“Wh-what in the world—!”
“S-stop—Keough!”
Morgan and Charles turned to the front door with widened eyes, following the commotion happening outside.
Booooom!
As they did, the manor’s front door and walls around it were pulverized. Something catapulted in their direction and fell to the floor, rolling.
“... Z-Zester?” Morgan’s eyes widened further. The one that flew toward them was the knight he treasured as much as he did Charles.
Up until a moment ago, Zester was standing guard outside, wearing splendid full-plate armor. Now, however, he was reduced to a mess, and his armor was destroyed beyond repair. His plate armor had dents all over like an abandoned can, and his crushed chest plate exuded a thick burning scent.
Well aware of Zester’s outstanding martial prowess, Morgan couldn’t help but be surprised.
“I didn’t expect to see you here. What brings you here, Lord Morgan?
However, he was more astounded by the fact that the one who defeated Zester was Treville, who was supposed to be at Eos.
“Yo-Young Master, how are you here—?!” Morgan stammered.
“What’s wrong? Should I not be here?” Treville answered coldly, making Morgan purse his lips.
Although Morgan had a lot to say, he had a feeling that if he wasn’t careful with his words, Traville would only tell him that he was spouting nonsense and treat him the way he did Zester.
‘How in the world is this possible...?’ Morgan wondered. His lack of understanding of how Treville defeated Zester was only more reason to be careful. Even though Morgan heard long ago that Treville had become the apostle of ‘Canis Minor,’ Treville wasn’t this skilled back then. The air around him was a lot different than before as well. It was as if he was now serving a different Guardian!
However, something else entirely sent a shiver down Morgan’s spine.
“Second Prince? Isn’t it that idiot who sided with Sadalmelik?” A man wearing a metal mask slowly entered the manor.
As in the presence of a god, Treville treated the man with respect. “That is right.”
‘M-me-metal mask...?! W-wait!’ Morgan couldn’t say anything even though the man insulted his master.
The moment Morgan saw the man’s metal mask, he remembered the notorious terrorist who had taken over Eos and devastated several Star Sign orders. Morgan trembled as profusely as an aspen leaf.
Chang-Sun, the Metal Mask, turned to look at Morgan with mischievous eyes. It was as if he had just found an interesting toy. “Sadalmelik must be in quite a hurry to leave a loose trail like this.”
Being able to drive Sadalmelik even further into a corner made Chang-Sun happy.
「Tsk! He’s unlucky.」
“I know. He should have stayed put. Out of all the dates he could choose, he decided to make a move today. Tsk, tsk.”
Jin and Arin shook their heads, able to picture Morgan’s imminent future.
