Chapter 134: A Farewell and a Question

Malrik had no choice but to smile and shake his head. Inwardly, however, his mind raced, trying to find a way out of this disaster.

He quickly weighed his options.

If he claimed he didn’t remember these promises, or denied making them in the first place, the crowd would see him as just another noble going back on his word the moment it was time to pay. After the rumors he had heard just minutes ago about the "stingy noble," that was the last thing he needed.

Telling the truth was even worse.

He would have to tell them that Lilith—the lunatic demoness he had left in Blackthorn for two days—had created a perfect clone of him during his absence and made these promises in his name, apparently as revenge for leaving her behind.

But merely admitting that would open a floodgate of questions he did not want to answer.

Who had stood on the walls?

Where was he during the Faceless organization’s attack on the Morvyth?

And was the first appearance of the Black Reaper in that exact same place truly just a coincidence?

He was not ready to reveal any of that right now. So, he swallowed his shock and maintained the guise of a confident noble.

"I haven’t forgotten, of course... you will accompany me to the Duchy of Vesperion," he told them, his tone calm and decisive. "There, you will meet the Dwarven blacksmiths in the Duke’s employ. They will take your measurements and begin forging your custom armor sets."

As for the high-grade Decay Law Seed, he had absolutely no idea where he would get it, nor how much it would cost him.

He decided to leave that problem for future Malrik to solve.

After finishing with Ronan’s squad, he continued distributing the rewards to the rest of the Blackthorn garrison.

Malrik started with the knights and elite soldiers whose contributions on the front lines had been decisive.

Each of them received twenty gold coins, a new weapon of their choosing, and enough provisions to last their families for at least six months.

As for the rest of the soldiers, knights, and mercenaries, they received generous shares of coins, weapons, and food—rewards many of them would not have expected to receive even after years of service.

After that, it was the civilians’ turn.

Eliza, aided by several of the Baron’s men, began distributing food and provision sacks to the residents of Blackthorn. Malrik also distributed silver coins to the civilians who had helped transport supplies, tend to the wounded, and support the soldiers during the siege.

Despite the square being packed with thousands, the distribution process went smoothly.

Cedric took charge of organizing the crowd. He didn’t need to raise his voice or use his power; just standing near the platform, with his calm and piercing gaze, was enough to completely deter any attempt at pushing or inciting chaos.

The distribution process took nearly three hours.

By the time it was over, every person in Blackthorn had received their share. For several moments, the crowd remained silent, as if everyone was still trying to process the sheer magnitude of what they had just received.

Then, a voice rose from among the soldiers.

"Long live the Seventh Banner Bearer!"

Malrik turned toward the source of the voice.

When his eyes landed on the speaker, Malrik immediately recognized him.

It was the exact same man who had objected to him taking command of Blackthorn upon his arrival, citing his young age and the man’s lack of faith in his abilities. The same man who had tasted a diluted version of his new skill, *Soul Rend*.

The soldier now stood at the front of the crowd, raising his arm and his voice as loud as possible.

"Long live the Seventh Banner Bearer!"

"Long live Duke Vesperion!"

Malrik couldn’t stop a faint smile from appearing on his face.

It seems the man has suddenly become confident in my abilities.

Soon, the rest of the soldiers picked up the chant.

"Long live the Seventh Banner Bearer!"

"Long live Duke Vesperion!"

Within seconds, the entire square was echoing with cheers.

After the ceremony ended, Malrik found no reason to remain in Blackthorn any longer. He waved to the crowds that were still chanting his name, then decided to begin the journey back.

Baron Reinhardt tried to persuade him to enter the inner hall for a lavish banquet in his honor, but Malrik politely thanked him and declined. He had many urgent matters he wanted to accomplish back at the Duchy.

The Baron escorted Malrik, Cedric, and Eliza, along with Ronan’s squad and his son Kael, all the way to the castle gates to see them off.

After the Baron finished his formal farewells, he stood before Kael for a few seconds, as if trying to prolong the final moment before his son’s departure.

He was supposed to look sad, but Malrik noticed something strange in his facial expressions. The Baron looked more relieved; his smile was even wider than it should be for a man saying goodbye to his son.

The Baron placed a hand on Kael’s shoulder, murmuring something to him in a low voice before patting him one last time.

Malrik couldn’t hear what was said, nor did he care much. But he noticed the way the Baron stepped back afterward, looking as though a heavy burden had just been lifted from his shoulders.

Malrik looked at Kael, then shifted his gaze back to the Baron.

...Maybe I was too hasty in recruiting him.

"Farewell, Seventh Banner Bearer. I hope you honor us with a visit soon," Baron Reinhardt said with a respectful bow, a broad and genuine smile adorning his face.

Malrik returned the smile. "Thank you for your hospitality, Baron. And by the way..."

Malrik took a step toward the Baron. There was a matter that had been occupying his mind since his conversation with the Duke in the office, and he saw this as the perfect opportunity to get an answer.

He lowered his voice slightly and asked in a friendly tone, "Could you tell me... how long have you been ruling Blackthorn?"

The Baron blinked, surprised by the random question, but he answered anyway.

"For about twelve years, Banner Bearer."

Malrik nodded slowly, then leaned his body in slightly toward the Baron, dropping his voice so that no one else could hear.

"Oh... then, after twelve years, you must have come to understand the true importance of this castle. It isn’t just a border fortress, is it?"

The Baron’s smile froze halfway.

For a second, he just stared at Malrik without blinking, as if the last words had caught him off guard in a way he couldn’t hide. Then, the relief vanished from his eyes, and his smile slowly receded until nothing remained on his face but rigid, guarded features.

The Baron lowered his eyes slightly, and when he spoke again, his voice was completely different; serious, cold, and entirely devoid of the warmth that had filled it moments before.

"I do not understand what you are talking about, Banner Bearer."

Malrik noted the sudden shift in the Baron’s body language.

Moments ago, he had stood before him with a relaxed smile. But now, his body had tensed, every trace of relief had vanished from his face, and even his gaze had grown wary.

That reaction told Malrik more than the Baron’s words ever could.

The Baron knew something.

And judging by how quickly he had shut down the moment the subject was brought up, it was clear that he knew far more about the castles than Malrik had initially assumed.

So he isn’t as simple as he seemed...

A faint, cold smile formed on Malrik’s lips.

Interesting.

It seems I’ll have to find out what he knows myself.

Malrik’s gaze drifted toward Kael as another idea crossed his mind.

What if I threaten him with his son?

The thought almost made him smile before he quickly dismissed it.

...Forget it. That won’t work. He looks rather eager to get rid of him.

Kael noticed the change in his father’s expression and took a step toward him.

"Father... is everything alright?"

The Baron quickly turned toward him, a smile returning to his face, though this time it looked a little forced.

"Of course. We were just... talking."

Malrik didn’t comment. He simply offered a faint smile as he straightened his posture.

If my father wants me to take Moongrave Castle, I first need to understand what makes these castles so important.

Malrik looked at the Baron one last time, then turned and walked toward Cedric, who stood a short distance away, alongside Eliza, Ronan’s squad, and Kael.

None of them understood the reason for the sudden shift in the Baron’s expressions, nor what had been said between him and Malrik. Even Kael kept looking at his father in bewilderment, as if trying to figure out what had just happened.

Only Cedric remained as calm as ever, his calm features and unwavering gaze unchanged.

Malrik stopped in front of them, sweeping a quick glance over the group before shifting his gaze back to the Baron.

"We will continue our conversation later, Baron."

He didn’t wait for a reply.

In the very next moment, Cedric’s shadow stretched out from beneath his feet, rising rapidly around the entire group. The darkness wrapped around them like a thick curtain, taking the shape of a massive sphere that enclosed Malrik, Cedric, Eliza, Ronan and his comrades, and Kael.

It took only a fraction of a second.

Then, the black sphere collapsed in on itself and vanished from in front of the gates of Blackthorn, leaving behind a silent void.

The Baron stood rooted to the spot, staring at the empty space where they had just disappeared, while Malrik’s final words lingered in his mind.